Chapter 481
First, it was Leia, then it was Jodie. Both times, when Olivia thought she had grasped the truth, she was wrong.
Jeff didn’t know what had happened. His memories stopped a few years ago.
“Olivia, do you have so little faith in me? If I wanted a baby, I would’ve married her and asked for your permission. I’d only have a
baby with her if all the conditions were right. I’d never take having a baby so lightly.”
If Jeff hadn’t told her, Olivia would have held onto the misunderstanding forever. She thought the unformed baby in Jodie’s womb
was a Fordham.
“I thought she liked you. Why would she have someone else’s baby, then?”
Sighing, Jeff said, “This is why I say young people are too emotional. She was resentful when she left me. So, she went to a bar,
got drunk, and did it with someone. Later, I found her and told her how I felt. We found out about the pregnancy shortly after we
got together.”
“What did you think about that?” Olivia asked while looking at Jeff.
”
“I won’t deny the happiness she made me feel. I felt relaxed when I was with her, but I couldn’t accept the baby. I would already
have to deal with the criticism of being with a woman much younger than me. I wouldn’t be able to take it if she brought a baby
with an unknown father with her.
“I’m a philanthropist, but I don’t like trouble.”
Jeff’s gaze became intense as he exuded an air of indifference befitting a successful man.
“You’re my only daughter. I wasn’t planning to have another child yet, which was why my relationship with her had been purely
platonic. That was also why I couldn’t accept her having another man’s child.
“I was already past the age when I would do anything for love. I wasn’t as emotional when I was with her. Maybe I sound a little
cold-hearted to you right now.”
Olivia shook her head. “Not really. I understand how you felt. Life isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. The responsibilities and
hardships of the day-to-day routine are what matters.”
ון
“My daughter has finally matured! That’s right! I gave her some money as compensation for her companionship. She didn’t want
that. She was determined to get an abortion and start anew with me.
“Everyone makes mistakes, but I shouldn’t be the one to pay for her mistake. I don’t blame her. I just wish I hadn’t been so
reluctant in the beginning.”
The reality was that Jeff didn’t love Jodie enough. All the love he had was reserved for Chloe. Jodie’s appearance only served to
stir up his uneventful life a little.
If it had been Chloe instead, Olivia was sure Jeff would have dropped everything and rushed to her
“Then what happened?”
“A tragedy struck. She was like a completely different person after she got pregnant. At first, I felt bad for her and wanted to help
her get her emotions in check. But she’d throw tantrums every time. She even tried to drug me.”
“Drug you?” Olivia was taken aback.
“That’s right. She tried the most extreme measures just to stay by my side. Luckily, I was careful. There were cameras set up in
her room. She wanted to record evidence of me doing it with her.
“I later discovered that her docile, bright, and studious personality was a facade. She had tried her best to get out of an
impoverished village. It didn’t matter to her if she could find her footing in the city. It was easier to become the wife of a rich man
and be set for life.”
Olivia felt a chill when she heard that. “Then her feelings for you..
Jeff smiled sheepishly as he said, “It had been about the money from the start. Even if it wasn’t me, she would’ve targeted
someone else. The baby in her womb was just a part of her elaborate plan. I was just a prey to her. Naturally, there’d be others
as well.”
Chapter 482
Jeff continued, “Olivia, you’ve been sheltered by me from a young age. You don’t know how cruel people can be. Some people will do anything to get status and wealth. When it comes to this, gender doesn’t matter.”
“I know that now.”
“Back then, I was the one who spent the most time with her. I was the ideal target. I didn’t have any bad habits, and I was a dedicated man. She wouldn’t have to worry about other women if she married me. Most importantly, I was much older than her. She could inherit my wealth after I passed.
“She only gave up and tried pursuing another man after I explicitly turned her down. Olivia, do you know who she set her sights on that night?”
Olivia felt a chill down her spine. “Who was it?”
“It was Ethan.”
Olivia was dumbfounded. “How could it be him?”
“Jodie was a proud woman. She was probably discontent that she wasn’t able to get together with me.
Your relationship with Ethan wasn’t public, and no one knew he was married. Naturally, there were a lot of women vying for his attention.”
Olivia remembered that she used to feel worried. She knew Ethan was a sight for sore eyes and was sure many young women had their eyes on him.
Ethan used to tell her that she was the only woman he needed and that there was no one else.
It still felt surreal that Jodie’s story was somehow linked to Ethan. It made sense when Olivia thought
about it.
After all, Jodie’s looks resembled Leia’s. Ethan would definitely spare her a few more looks when they met, and she would overthink the attention he gave her.
“Whose baby was it?”
“I had some people look into it. She planned to drug Ethan, but he left before she met him. No one really knows who she had sex with.”
Olivia was at a loss for words. She understood why Ethan came home that one night, all pent up. He kept her in bed for the whole day the next morning. It turned out that Jodie was the cause of that.
If Ethan had met Jodie that night, she would have died right then and there. He wouldn’t allow anyone to do something so demeaning with a face that resembled Leia’s.
“Then, Jodie became emotionally unstable. She’d demand an abortion without actually going through with it. The next time I heard news about her, she had drowned in the ocean.”
That information was in line with what Olivia knew. “Did you meet with her before she left?”
“I met her once before she left. She threatened me over text and threw a fit when I went to meet her. She said she’d destroy my reputation if I didn’t marry her. I didn’t owe her anything. I funded her education and provided her with whatever she wanted after she graduated.
“After seeing her true colors, I was disappointed. So, I told her that I’d never meet her again. She seemed
upset. She packed the things I had gifted her into a suitcase, told me to leave, and said I would regret it.
“It was a huge mess, and her words were vulgar. She stared at me coldly like a venomous snake the day I left her. I knew I made the right choice then. I dodged a bullet by not marrying her. Despite all that, I didn’t think she’d die…”
Jeff was lamenting his lost love, but his words sent chills down Olivia’s spine. She felt that something was very wrong. It wasn’t just Leia. There was also the man who impregnated Jodie. She wondered what role he played in the grand scheme of things.
Chapter 483
Jeff noticed that Olivia was deep in thought and realized he had gone off-topic.
“Look at me. I was talking about you and Ethan but ended up talking about myself. Olivia, don’t worry. Ethan is a good man. He won’t mess around when he’s away from home. I had him looked into when
you married him. He’s always done a good job of keeping his distance from other women.”
Olivia didn’t want to talk about Ethan.
“Dad, how much do you know about Jodie?”Jeff wanted to drop the subject but saw that Olivia cared about it. So, he said, “In the beginning, I thought she was a bright and obedient kid. Then, I realized I only saw the tip of the iceberg after I saw what she did. Why did you ask? Did you know her?”
Olivia came back to her senses. “It’s nothing. I was just curious about your love life, Dad.”
Jeff smiled gently. “It’s all in the past. I want nothing else but to see you happy every day.”
Jeff seemed to think that Jodie’s death was an accident. He knew nothing about what Ethan did to the Fordham family in response to Jodie’s death. So, Olivia didn’t bring it up.
“Dad, I understand that. You don’t have to worry about me and Ethan. I’ll handle it. Like you said, couples fight, and we didn’t even fight. We just see each other less because of the nature of his job.
“It doesn’t affect much. So, you don’t have to worry. I’m smiling less because I’m not feeling well from the pregnancy.”
“Alright. I’m relieved to hear you say that. I’ll get you some dessert.”
Olivia’s heart fell when she saw how cheerful Jeff had become. Some things couldn’t be kept a secret forever. What would happen when Jeff learned the truth?
Olivia caught up to Jeff as he walked away to get her the dessert. “Dad, I’ll go get it myself. You should sit down and rest. Your legs have been recovering well, but you shouldn’t rush it. Stop worrying and nurse yourself back to health. Things will be better.”
“Alright. I’ll wait to become a grandpa. Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for this? I’m sure you’ll give birth to adorable babies. I’m curious if they’ll look more like you or Ethan.”
Jeff’s gaze was gentle. He looked like he couldn’t wait for his grandchildren to be born. “Olivia, it was my fault last time. You lost your baby because you were overworked at the hospital taking care of me. You have to get enough rest this time, okay?”
Olivia opened her mouth but didn’t explain what had happened back then. “Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll make sure that the babies are birthed safely, even if it’s the last thing I do.”
From then onward, Jeff stopped worrying and focused entirely on Olivia’s children. He had people prepare tools for him, and he started to make wooden carvings from expensive wood.
Jeff got busy with the project. He made things like teething sticks, little planes, wooden figurines, and a rocking horse.
“Dad, you should get some rest. Don’t tire yourself out. There’s still plenty of time before the babies are born.”
“I’m not as deft as I used to be, and I move slower too. So, I’ll just put in more time. These are my gifts to the babies as their grandfather. Babies grow up quickly, so you’ll have to prepare clothes and toys in
advance. And there’s the crib too.”
Jeff said with a bright expression, “You don’t have to worry about me. I have nothing better to do anyway. Woodwork is good for passing the time.”
Olivia placed a hand on her stomach. Time was passing quickly. She wondered if she should be making preparations as well.
She recalled the room she had prepared for the baby she lost. She had handpicked every single piece of clothing and toy in the room. All the joy she felt while preparing the room turned into grief when she lost the baby. Even a simple rattle toy could bring her to tears.
Chapter 484
Jeff set down his carving knife when he saw Olivia’s troubled expression. “What’s wrong, Olivia? You don’t have to keep it to yourself. You can tell me anything.”
“Dad, we’re only living here temporarily. I’m thinking about where we should live after the kids are born.”
She wanted to say that she wanted nothing to do with Ethan anymore. But how could she get away from him with the kids in tow? Where could she even go?
Sighing, Jeff said, “Ethan told me he had bought the Fordham residence back. Maybe we could return there?”
“I’ll think about it. There’s no rush. We still have time.”
Olivia picked up the carving knife and said, “Teach me how to do it, Dad. I want to make something for the babies, too.”
“Sure. I’ll teach you.”
Mona saw this warm moment between them from afar. She took a picture of it and sent it to Ethan.
Ethan was picking out a suit at the bridal shop. He spaced out after looking at the photo Mona sent him. In the photo, Olivia was holding a carving knife with her left hand and holding a small wooden block in place.
Although she only had one good hand, she was carving the wood very seriously. Ethan enlarged the photo to its maximum size. He could even see Olivia’s eyelashes clearly.
He recalled the first time Olivia was pregnant. Her eyes twinkled like stars, and she was always so
chatty.
“Do you think it’s a boy or a girl? What kind of nursery should we prepare for the baby? Should I buy dresses or suits? I have to pick out some toys too.”
Olivia would complain about how troublesome it was but would do it anyway. Even if they weren’t on the best terms then, she was still enthusiastic about the coming baby.
Eventually, Olivia picked up on Ethan’s distant behavior and stopped talking to him about things. But Ethan knew about everything she did. He knew she went to the furniture store and the baby shop alone and handpicked everything.
Olivia was like a mother bird building her nest. She carefully picked out everything that she thought was the best. She was looking forward to the future and the birth of her child. And yet Ethan treated her like trash. Right now, he wondered if she felt love for the babies but was simultaneously afraid for
them.
Olivia was like a hurt caterpillar. She desired to transform into a butterfly but was afraid of the dangers of the outside world.
Ethan ran his fingers across his phone’s screen. It was the only way he could feel close to Olivia.
“Ethan, does this dress look nice on me? Ethan, what are you doing?”
Marina called Ethan a few times before he turned to look at her. The smile on his face had already faded.
“Yeah,” Ethan replied with an indifferent tone. The gentle gaze he had a moment ago was gone.
Marina knew how Ethan felt. But her only wish was to get married to Ethan. She couldn’t possibly ask for more.
No matter how much Ethan loved Olivia, their relationship was over. Marina knew she was the only one who could become Ethan’s wife, so she feigned ignorance.
Marina said with a warm smile, “I brought your suit over too. You should try it out.”
Ethan pulled his legs back and replied coldly, “No need. We’ve measured the size multiple times. It must be right.”
His expression was stern like he was at work. He didn’t look like someone about to be married.
“Give it a try since we’re already here. It won’t take long,” Marina said in a soft tone.
Ethan got up impatiently and said, “Fine, I’ll try it.”
He walked to the men’s dressing room with long strides.
He took big strides over. As he passed through the corridor, his attention was drawn to a fishtail wedding dress on display.
He froze in his tracks and turned to look at the dress. Then, he pressed his hand on the glass. Olivia’s face flashed in his mind. Back then, she had said, “Ethan, you still owe me a wedding.”
Chapter 485
The salesperson saw that Ethan wasn’t moving and quickly said, “Mr. Miller, did this dress catch your eye? It might not fit Ms. Carlton. But you can have her try it. There’s still some time before the wedding. We can alter it to her size as soon as possible.”
Ethan took another good look at the dress before turning away resolutely. He owed Olivia more than just a wedding or a dress. His debt to her could never be repaid.
Ethan changed into the suit Marina picked out. The salesperson crouched and adjusted the pant legs
for him.
She couldn’t help but praise Ethan, “Mr. Miller, you look so handsome and elegant. You’ll look good in anything you wear. Your wedding with Ms. Carlton will be the talk of the town.”
Ethan was no stranger to formal suits, but this was his first time in a wedding suit. But he wasn’t wearing it for the woman he loved.
His expression remained clouded the entire time. The salesperson stood by him carefully.
“Mr. Miller, is there something you aren’t satisfied about? You can bring it up. We still have enough time to make changes.”
“It’s fine. I’ll take this suit and the wedding dress I was looking at just now.”
“Understood, Mr. Miller.’
When he got out, Marina had already taken off the wedding dress and was sitting in her wheelchair.
“Ethan, I’ve booked a table at a restaurant. Why don’t we have lunch together?”
Ethan looked at his watch and said, “I have a meeting. Why don’t you go yourself?”
“Ethan, our wedding will proceed as planned, right?” Marina tugged at Ethan’s sleeve as she asked
nervously.
The wedding was initially planned to be held last month, but Ethan delayed it by a month because Olivia was injured and in danger.
He had also been delaying the trip to city hall for the marriage registration. Marina felt uneasy.
Ethan gently pulled away and said coldly, “Yes, I’ve already planned everything. Don’t worry. I’ll be going first.”
He left without looking back, and Marina could only watch. There was nothing she could do but hold on to his promise. Looking back, she saw no bodyguards. She had nothing left.
She didn’t have her stern father or her loving mother anymore. Even her children had been sent away by Ethan. Ethan was the only one she had left. She would not allow anyone to ruin her wedding this
time.
Marina made a call and said, “Look into someone for me. Her name is Olivia Fordham.”
“Understood, Ms. Carlton.”
“I want to know everything about her.”
“Yes, Ms. Carlton.”
Ethan got into his car but wasn’t in a rush to leave. Kelvin turned toward him and asked, “Are we going to the office, Mr. Miller?”
“No, I need you to do something for me.”
“What do you need, Mr. Miller?”
“Set up a wedding venue as soon as possible.”
Scratching his head, Kelvin said, “But your wedding with Ms. Carlton is still a week away. If we set up the venue now, the flowers would wither, no?”
“I still owe Liv a wedding.”
“But…”
Kelvin wanted to say it was too late but decided against it. “Got it, Mr. Miller.”
Ethan knew that Olivia would never forgive him, but he wanted to do more for her.
“We’re not going to the office. Drive to the largest baby store. Also, get me an interior designer.”
“Are you planning to renovate a room, Mr. Miller?”
“A nursery, to be precise.”
“I think the nursery that Mrs. Miller decorated before is pretty nice. It’s also the wedding house for you and her. Mrs. Miller decorated everything in the house herself.”
Ethan shook his head as he said, “That house is full of sad memories for her. I want her life to be peaceful and happy from now on.”
Chapter 486
Ethan finally understood how Olivia felt when he arrived at the baby store. Connor was Ethan’s firstborn. He should’ve been more concerned than anyone, but the incident with Leia created a rift between him and Olivia.
He looked at all the baby clothes. They were all very colorful. He finally understood why Olivia had so much to say back then and why her eyes were always glowing.
Everything made for babies looked cute. They were small and soft, but it was like they could heal the soul.
“Look at that little pony, Mr. Miller. It’s so cute. And that toy gun, it’s adorable. These clothes are so tiny. Are they really for babies? It looks like they were made for cats. What about that pacifier? That’s cute too.”
Kelvin was more excited to be in the store than Ethan. Rough men like them looked out of place in a baby store.
A salesperson saw Ethan’s attire and knew he would be a big spender. The watch he was wearing was worth more than the entire shop.
“Nice to meet you, sir. Is your baby a girl or a boy? I can recommend our products to you according to their gender.”
Ethan was stumped. The babies were too young for gender tests.
“I don’t know.”
“No worries, you can look at these designs. They’re suitable for newborn babies, and the colors are
unisex.”
Ethan stared at the pink baby clothes at the side. Deep down, he wished that Olivia would give birth to baby girls. Although she was bearing twins and the chance of a baby girl was big, it wasn’t guaranteed. She could be carrying two baby boys too.
“Looks like you’re fond of baby girls, sir.”
The clothes for girls were more exquisite than those for boys. There were soft lace edges, ribbons, and princess dresses.
Ethan couldn’t imagine how happy he would be if Olivia gave birth to a daughter who looked like her.
The baby would be tiny, delicate, and very adorable. The anticipation for the babies was enough to make Ethan feel content. He was looking forward to the day Olivia would give birth to the babies, which would be in eight months.
Ethan swore that he would protect Olivia this time. He wouldn’t allow her to be hurt.
“I’ll take everything except this one.”
The salesperson’s eyes widened in shock. She didn’t expect to witness something that she only read
about in stories.
“Alright, sir. C-Come this way to make payment.”
Ethan toyed with a rattle toy. It was a pink toy with a picture of a unicorn on it. It looked cute. He could imagine an adorable baby girl playing with the rattle toy in a crib. After picking out the clothes,
he went to a furniture store.
His children deserved the best, so he chose carefully. It was the first time Ethan felt the anticipation for the birth of new lives.
Ethan’s wedding with Marina drew close, but he had been busy the past few days. Marina felt uneasy because she hadn’t seen Ethan for a few days. The people she sent to look into Olivia didn’t even know
where she lived. It was like Olivia had vanished into thin air.
“He must have hidden her.”
“Ms. Carlton, we didn’t find Ms. Fordham, but we noticed Mr. Miller has been buying many baby products.”
Marina smashed the parfait she was eating and yelled, “What did you say?”
Ethan had never slept with her, so she wasn’t the one who was pregnant. She wondered if it was
Olivia.
“Don’t worry, Ms. Carlton. There isn’t any concrete proof for anything. It might be a friend who’s pregnant. He might just be preparing gifts.”
“No, it must be that bitch who’s pregnant. He even hid her. I don’t care what methods you use, you have to find her.”
Chapter 487
Olivia’s life at the manor was simple and peaceful. She was doing some wood carving right now. Mona saw something on her phone, turned it off, and muttered under her breath with an upset expression.
“What are you muttering about?” Olivia asked as she looked at Mona.
Mona looked up and said, “Nothing. You shouldn’t look at your phone for a couple of days. It’s all useless news.”
Chuckling lightly, Olivia asked, “By useless news, do you mean his wedding?”
“You already know?”
“It’s all over the internet. Of course, I’d know about it.”
Mona observed Olivia’s expression closely. “Aren’t you angry? I thought Mr. Miller delayed the wedding last month for your sake.”
“Angry? Why would I be? If I got angry, it would mean I had feelings for him. If I had feelings for him, I’d lose my mind and go crazy. Why would I do that?”
Mona looked at Olivia’s calm demeanor. It seemed like Olivia was telling the truth. “Olivia, why would you marry him if you don’t love him?”
“I loved him once. But it’s in the past.”
Olivia put down her carving knife and picked up the wooden carving she was making. It was a cute kitten.
“How does it look?”
It was as if the wooden carving in her hand was more important to her than Ethan.
Nodding, Mona said, “You did great! You’re almost as skilled as a veteran woodworker.”
Smiling, Olivia said, “You’re too kind. It’s barely presentable. I’m just trying to practice.”
As they were talking, Kelvin, whom Olivia hadn’t seen in a long time, showed up. Olivia’s smile faded
when she saw him.
Kelvin rubbed his nose awkwardly and said, “I … Mr. Miller has some business with you, Mrs. Miller.” Kelvin thought Olivia would ignore him. Instead, she stood up immediately and said, “What a coincidence. I need to talk to him about something too.”
Olivia needed to know whose baby Jodie was carrying. She could sense that the matter wasn’t as
simple as it seemed. There might be another person plotting against her. Olivia didn’t have the means to look into it. At least, her goals aligned with Ethan’s on this matter.
“Alright, come with me, Mrs. Miller.”
Olivia followed Kelvin to the car, but Ethan wasn’t there. She rested her eyes and didn’t speak a word. The car was eerily quiet.
Even Kelvin, who was usually chatty, didn’t know what to say. He tried to strike up a conversation.
“Mrs. Miller, don’t look at the news. You’re the only woman Mr. Miller has ever loved. He has no choice but to marry Ms. Carlton. As you know, she’s the only Carlton left, other than Mr. Carlton Senior.”
Olivia cut him off impatiently, “It’s his freedom to marry whoever he wants. I don’t care.”
Kelvin looked at Olivia through the rearview mirror. He tried to see if she was even a little discontent, but her expression was indifferent. She wasn’t upset in the slightest.
Olivia felt Kelvin’s gaze. She raised her head to meet his gaze.
“It was over between us the moment he shot me.”
Kelvin opened his mouth, but he didn’t say anything. Ethan had hurt Olivia deeply. He had done her dirty and couldn’t turn back time to fix his mistake. Kelvin could only silently pray for Ethan.
Olivia was utterly shutting Ethan out. There was no longer love in her eyes or any emotion at all.
Later, she was surprised that the car had stopped at the Fordham residence.
“He’s in the Fordham residence?”
“Yes. Let’s go in, Mrs. Miller.”
Chapter 488
Olivia stood at the entrance of the Fordham residence. Different emotions emerged in her heart. Even
though the Fordham residence had been repurchased, it was done by Ethan and Marina. Olivia cringed at the thought of that. So, she hadn’t been back since.
The hydrangeas in front of the yard were in full bloom with various colors and were left untrimmed. Some roses had crept out from the wall, making their way around the old wall.
A gust of wind blew over, and the flowers began to sway in the wind. It was a beautiful sight, but
Olivia froze in her tracks.
“Mrs. Miller, let’s go in. Mr. Miller is waiting for you,” Kelvin urged.
The different emotions going through Olivia’s mind were making her reluctant. Before she could open the door, she heard the door swing open. A white cat ran toward her.
Snowball purred and started to walk in circles around Olivia. She looked at Snowball, wondering why
Ethan would bring Snowball here.
Olivia wanted to see what Ethan was trying to pull before his wedding, so she entered the house.
As soon as she entered, she could smell the sweet scent of flowers. Olivia focused her gaze, only to see
that the floor was covered in a romantic carpet of petals.
Olivia frowned in disdain and asked, “What is he trying to pull this time?”
Scratching his head, Kelvin said, “You’ll know when you go in.”
Then, some people came and dragged a confused Olivia into a room before starting to dress her up. She understood what was going on when she saw the long wedding dress that was put on her.
The makeup artists and stylists praised her beauty, but Olivia didn’t want to hear any of it. She asked coldly, “Where’s Ethan?”
The praises stopped. They couldn’t believe that Olivia would display such impatience on such a happy
occasion.
“About that…”
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll just have to look for him myself.”
Olivia walked out of the room quickly while holding the hem of her dress in her good hand.
“Slow down, Ms. Fordham.”
The door opened, and she saw Ethan standing there, surrounded by flowers. He wore a groom’s suit. His hair was neatly combed, and he was holding some flowers in his hand. The anxiety was visible on his handsome face. Ethan’s face lit up when he saw Olivia.
Olivia was walking too fast, and she was holding the hem of her dress with her hand. She started to
fall after a few steps.
“Be careful!”
“Ms. Fordham!”
Everyone’s face paled as they watched Olivia fall. Olivia used to be light on her feet. She was known for her athleticism back in school. But she was more like a bird with clipped wings at the moment. Her right arm was useless, and her left was holding the dress.
She would be safe if she could break her fall with her right hand. But, as it was, she could only watch helplessly as she fell.
Olivia suddenly thought about her babies. Her back was already covered in cold sweat. Closing her eyes, she accepted her fate.
But the pain didn’t come as Ethan caught her at the last moment.
“Are you okay?” Ethan asked with a concerned voice.
Olivia’s face was flushed. She came looking for trouble but made a fool of herself. She even forgot what she wanted to say.
Ethan wrapped an arm around Olivia’s waist and looked affectionately at her. “You look so beautiful today, Liv. You’re as beautiful as I imagined you would be.”
Then, Olivia heard Jorge say happily, “Look over here.”
She instinctively looked toward Jorge and heard a snap. A photo had been taken.
Chapter 489
Ethan held Olivia in a tight embrace. She then realized that there were several tall and handsome men behind Ethan. There was the elegant Bryan, the gentlemanly Henry, and a man wearing a mask that covered half his face.
The man had a cold demeanor. Olivia thought he might be Lazlo Lyon, whom Ethan had brought up before. Chris Atkins and the cameraman, Jorge, were both smiling as well.
Olivia couldn’t bring herself to say what she wanted to. She was unsatisfied with Ethan’s actions but didn’t want to cause a scene with so many people watching. It would make both her and Ethan look bad.
Everly walked out from the crowd. She was wearing a white dress and had a complicated expression on her face. Apparently, she had just realized what was going on.
Olivia lowered her voice and asked, “What are you doing?”
Ethan set her straight, saying, “Liv, I owe you a wedding.”
Olivia didn’t feel the slightest bit of joy. Instead, she was angry.
Who did Ethan think she was? Did he think a wedding could resolve all the issues they had?
The most absurd thing was that he tried to organize a wedding with her one day before his wedding
with Marina.
Olivia almost lost her temper immediately. She tried to pull her hand free with all her might.
Ethan’s grip was powerful. He whispered, “Please don’t make a scene, Liv.”
“I don’t have time to play games with you, Ethan.”
“Liv, I’ve waited so long for this day. I want to have a wedding with you.”
“Do I have to play along because you want it? Let go of me. Don’t force me to slap you in public.”
Bryan said with a smile, “Olivia, you can always punch him in the face if he did something wrong.”
Henry chimed in, “And if that’s not enough, you can always punch him twice. We’ll even help you punish him until you’re satisfied.”
Olivia was still a lady at heart. She didn’t want to argue with Ethan in front of so many people. She felt a little embarrassed when they poked fun at her.
The others didn’t know what was going on between her and Ethan. Maybe they thought she was just having an argument with him. Olivia didn’t know how to explain the situation.
Ethan was well aware of how she felt. “Come here, Liv.”
He led her by the hand to the backyard. Olivia also wanted to talk with him privately, so she didn’t try to break free and allowed him to hold her hand.
It was the middle of summer, and the plants in the backyard were in full bloom. Cicadas were starting to chirp. The sunlight filtered through the trees and shone on the two of them. A subtle scent of flowers and grass was in the air.
Turning around, Everly saw Ethan holding Olivia’s hand and walking through the long corridor. It painted a lovely picture.
No one knew better than Everly that the picturesque moment was built on Olivia’s pain. She knew one of Olivia’s greatest regrets was not having a wedding with Ethan. Olivia didn’t need a huge ceremony. She just wanted the sense of ceremony.
She wanted to marry the man she loved, with her family and friends as witnesses. The day had come, but it was completely different from what Olivia had hoped for.
Everly sighed and lamented Olivia’s misfortune with men.
Ethan led Olivia to a door. She saw that no one was around and pulled her arm free. Before she could speak, Ethan opened the door.
Olivia swallowed her words when she saw what was inside.
Smiling, Ethan said, “Come in.”
Chapter 490
Olivia couldn’t help but walk into the room. She was sure it used to be a guest room. But it had been renovated into a big room painted with soft colors. Half of the room was blue, and the other half was pink.
The lights were turned off, and the door was closed. Stars appeared overhead. The glow was soft, and there were occasional shooting stars.
Some disco lights lit up in the room, and a music box sounded. There was a cradle, a rocking horse, and various toys. There were baby clothes arranged according to the babies’ age. The collection ranged from clothes for newborn babies to those for one-year-olds.
There was even a designated play area for children with a castle, slides, and swings. Ethan had thought about everything that a baby would ever want. It was even better than the room she designed back then. There wasn’t a single parent in the world that could refuse a place like this.
Olivia ran her fingers over the baby clothes. Her mind wandered, and tears filled her eyes.
Ethan hugged her from behind and placed his palm on her stomach.
“Liv, I want to be a responsible father this time. I want to take care of you and the kids.”
Olivia was trembling. Grasping the side of the cradle tightly, she asked in a shaky voice, “Do you think this will make everything you did to me go away?”
“I know I can never change the fact that I hurt you. But I want to make it up to you. Liv, please give me
a chance to do that.”
Olivia raised her head to look at him. Tears began to stream down her face. “So, you want to keep me and my children here as your secret family?”
“Liv, I can give you anything except the position of Mrs. Miller. I owe that to Marina.”
Ethan explained, “I’m not keeping you here to hide you away. This will be our home from now on. The kids can grow up here after they’re born. I’ve also renovated the back. Dad can do some gardening there.”
Olivia pushed Ethan away. She was even more worked up now. “Let me tell you this, Ethan. You’ll never get what you want. We can never go back to the way it was, nor do I want to. Do you expect me to forgive you after all you’ve done to me simply because you apologized?
“Am I really that worthless in your eyes? You drove me away, so I left. And now you want me back? Sorry, but that’s not how it works.”
Olivia pointed at her injured right hand and said, “Look at this hand. You did this to me. You’ll never trap me by your side ever again! Did you think I would be touched by all these things you’re doing? I’ll only feel disgusted. A selfish man like you has no right to be the father of children.
my
“I won’t let you be their father even if I have to raise them alone.”
Olivia ripped off the veil and said, “What I wanted wasn’t a wedding. I wanted a man that would help keep my head above the water. But you aren’t that man, Ethan.”
Olivia swung her hand and threw the veil up. It slowly floated down, falling beside Ethan.
Ethan didn’t speak. He watched quietly as Olivia vented her frustrations.
“Liv, I thought…”
“You thought I’d be upset because you were getting married to Marina. But I’ll tell you this. I’m not upset in the slightest. I don’t even care. Take a good look, Ethan. I’m no longer the naive woman who listened to your every bidding. That woman is dead. You killed her.”
Olivia regained her composure and continued, “I’m not here to play your games, Ethan. I have something important to talk about.”
Ethan stared at Olivia silently. Other than her face, Ethan couldn’t find anything that resembled the
woman she once was.
“What do you want to talk about?”
“Leia and Jodie. I don’t deny Leia’s actions, but there’s someone that we’ve ignored in this incident.”
Olivia took a deep breath before continuing, “I can’t wait to see your sister dead. But I don’t want anyone who conspired against my family to roam free.”
