99 BLOODY LASHES AND A BULLET TO HIS HEART

Book 4 - Olivia & Joe Story

Author Irene Nobuyuki

©️
BaiLou 🌙

Chapter 1

For seven years, she had been secretly in love with her best friend’s older
brother. But now, rumors were flying–he was getting engaged.

And the bride… wasn’t her.

When Olivia Brown rushed to the private suite where Joe Evans was, she was just
about to push the door open when

she heard a voice from inside.

“Joe, you finally got what you wanted. Your first love came back, and your family
even arranged a marriage for you. This must be the happiest day of your life.”

His friend’s voice carried a teasing edge.

“That stand–in girlfriend of yours should be discarded now, right? You’re

heartless, man. Just to fill the void, you even went after your sister’s best
friend.”

Her entire body stiffened.

It was like a bucket of ice water had been poured over her from head to toe.

She couldn’t see his expression through the door, but she could hear the casual
indifference in his voice.

“Give it some time. The girl loves me too much–if I tell her the truth outright,
she’d probably cry herself to death. I’ll break it to her gently.”

Seven years.

They had been secretly together for seven years.

He had spoiled her, indulged her, given her everything… except a public
acknowledgment.

At first, he laughed and said, ‘Olivia, just wait a little longer. If Jennifer
Evans finds out I stole her best friend, she’ll

kill me.‘

Later, when she graduated and became his secretary, he said, ‘Olivia, let’s keep
waiting. Office relationships are complicated–I don’t want you to deal with all the
gossip.‘
She believed every word.

She had waited for him in silence, hidden in the shadows, playing the role of his
secret lover.

But now, she had heard the truth with her own ears.

His refusal to go public had nothing to do with Jennifer.

Nothing to do with office rumors.

It was simply because…

He had never loved her.

She was just a stand–in.

As the door handle turned and the people inside prepared to step out, Olivia
stumbled back in a daze and ran.

She ran all the way home, straight into Joe’s forbidden room–the one he had never
let her enter, no matter how much she begged or acted cute.

Tonight, she pushed the door open without hesitation.

Inside, dozens of photo albums were neatly arranged on the desk.

She picked one up, flipped through it, and felt her fingers tremble.

Every single picture inside was of a woman.

A woman who looked almost like her–seven or eight points similar.

But it wasn’t her.

So this was his first love.

The one he was about to marry–the daughter of the Harris Corporation.

In the drawer, thick stacks of plane tickets lay neatly arranged–hundreds, maybe
even thousands of them.

When she checked the dates, she realized–over the past seven years, while they were
supposedly together, Joe had been flying abroad almost every week.

To see her.

He never let her enter this room because it was filled with his love for another
woman.

Olivia’s eyes burned with unshed tears.

A long time passed before she finally let out a bitter laugh.

She laughed at how foolish she had been.

How stupid.
How ridiculous.

Seven years of love… and it had all been à lie.

Just then, her phone rang.

It was her father.

“Olivia, have you thought about the engagement?” His voice was warm, yet tinged
with concern. “You’ve been

staying over there ever since university. I know you have a boyfriend, but in all
these years, has he ever once come home to see me? The young man I picked for you
is outstanding-

He rambled on as he always did, but this time, she interrupted, her voice choked
with emotion.

“Dad, I’m sorry. I’m willing to get engaged.”

There was silence on the other end. Then, her father spoke again, his voice filled
with disbelief.

“You… you mean it?”

“Yes.”

“This time, I’ll come back to London and never leave again.”

Her father was overjoyed, repeating “good, good” several times before finally
hanging up.

Olivia carefully put everything back in place and quietly walked out of the room.

Just as she stepped into the living room, the front door swung open.

The man she had loved for seven years stood there.

Joe took one look at her red–rimmed eyes and immediately reached into his pocket,
pulling out a delicate jewelry box. His voice was soft, coaxing.

“I knew you’d cry. You must’ve seen the engagement news, huh?”

“It’s fake,” he reassured her. “Just for business. The families need us to put on a
show for a while, but I won’t marry Sophia Harris.”

She looked into his warm, gentle eyes.

But she heard nothing.

Because she already knew the truth.

She casually placed the jewelry box on the table and nodded with a calmness that
sent a chill through him.

“I see.”
She didn’t care if his engagement was fake or real.

Because her engagement was real.

Joe had prepared himself to coax and comfort her for hours, but her
uncharacteristic calmness made his heart tighten with unease.Chapter 2

“Olivia, you’re not mad?”

“You said it’s fake, right?” She smiled faintly. “So why would I be mad?”

Hearing this, the tension in his chest eased. He instinctively pulled her into his
arms, his large hand tracing lazy circles against her waist, fingertips slipping
under her shirt-

But she caught his wrist.

He froze.

Before he could say a word, she had already stepped out of his embrace.

“I’m not feeling well today. Let’s not.”

“Your period?”

He didn’t push further, simply massaging her stomach as he held her through the
night.

The next morning, when Olivia woke up, the bed beside her was empty.

She didn’t care.

She got ready, took a cab to the office, and went straight to HR.

Grabbing a resignation form, she tucked it into a pile of documents that needed
signatures before heading upstairs

to the CEO’s office.

But the moment she pushed open the door, she froze.

Inside, the always proud, always untouchable Joe was kneeling on one knee…

Gently massaging another woman’s ankle.

He took off her high heels, set them aside, then carefully slid a pair of flats
onto her feet.

“High heels must’ve hurt, right? You don’t need to be perfect around me. I just
want you to be comfortable.”

Hearing the sound of the door, both of them turned to look at her.

Joe’s face flickered–just for a moment–before he quickly composed himself.

Before he could speak, the woman beside him frowned.

“Joe, your secretary is quite rude. Doesn’t she know how to knock?”
2 F.

Olivia opened her mouth.

But she couldn’t say anything.

What could she say?

That she once had the privilege to enter his office freely?

That this man, who now had a fiancée, had once given her that privilege?

She turned to Joe.

But he averted his gaze, clearing his throat before speaking in a detached,
businesslike tone.

“What are you here for?”

“President Evans,” she said quietly, placing the documents on his desk. “These need
your signature.”

Joe flipped through them, signing each one with quick, practiced strokes.

When he reached the last page, she pressed her lips together.

It was her resignation letter.

Just as she anxiously wondered whether he’d sign it-

A sudden shriek filled the room.

She turned to see Sophia clutching her hand in pain, hot water spilled across her
skin. Her eyes welled up with tears, looking heartbreakingly delicate.

Joe panicked.

Without another thought, he hastily scribbled his signature on the last page,
tossed the documents aside, and scooped Sophia into his arms, rushing out of the
office.

Olivia watched them disappear beyond the doorway.

For a long moment, she didn’t know what to feel.

Should she be heartbroken that he cared for Sophia so much that he lost all
composure?

Or should she be grateful that the timing was perfect?

Because in his desperation, he had finally signed her resignation letter.

Olivia carefully put away the documents before taking her resignation form to the
HR department.

“Since President Evans has approved it, you can leave after completing the one–
month process.”
Hearing this, Olivia nodded. On her way back to the secretary’s office, she heard
her phone buzzing continuously

with message notifications.

They were from colleagues who had accompanied Joe to the hospital, sharing updates
in the group chat.

“President Evans is really good to Miss Harris. She only burned her hand, yet he
booked an entire floor for her!”

“Yeah, and whatever Miss Harris wants to eat, no matter how far, he has someone buy
it immediately.”

“Did you see the way President Evans looks at Miss Harris? I’ve never seen him look
at anyone with such tenderness! Looks like the Joe Corporation is finally getting a
hostess.”

Reading these messages, Olivia couldn’t help but laugh self–deprecatingly.

Joe truly loved Sophia.

Loved her so much that even when she went abroad to chase her dreams, visiting her
once a month wasn’t enough–he had to find a stand–in to ease his longing.

Now that Sophia was back, he immediately got engaged to her, giving her the public
acknowledgment that Olivia had waited seven years for in vain.

Bitterness spread from her heart. She shut off her phone, unwilling to read any
more.

After working for a while, it was time for lunch. Just as she was about to head
downstairs for a meal, her father called right on cue.

“Olivia, since you’ve agreed to the arranged marriage, when do you plan to come
back? I need to make the wedding

arrangements.”

“In a month. My resignation process will take that long.”

Thinking of the resignation request she had just submitted, she answered
truthfully. Her father simply acknowledged it and hung up.

Seeing this, her colleagues in the office immediately gathered around, discussing
in surprise.

“Olivia, you’re resigning? Why?”

She hesitated briefly but didn’t hide anything. “I’m going home to get married.”

“So sudden?”

“To whom? I never heard you had a boyfriend.”

“Your hometown is in London, right? Who knows when we’ll see you again after you
leave. Let’s have a farewell gathering after work!”
Chapter 3

Hearing their chatter, Olivia smiled and didn’t refuse.

That evening, after dinner with her colleagues, she was about to hail a taxi when a
Maybach suddenly stopped in

front of her.

The window rolled down, revealing Joe’s face.

“Get in.”

His words were concise, but she didn’t comply as he expected. Instead, she walked
ahead along the road as if she hadn’t seen him, continuing to hail a cab.

Joe’s expression darkened. He quickly started his car and followed her, making it
difficult for other taxis to stop.

After the third cab was driven away, Olivia finally stopped, sighed, and pulled
open his car door. The moment she sat inside, she was met with his somewhat
helpless expression.

“Olivia, didn’t I explain already? My relationship with Sophia is just an act. Why
are you angry again?”

“I’m not angry.”

She stared ahead, her voice calm, but he didn’t believe her. “If you’re not angry,
why didn’t you get in earlier?”

After a pause, she curled her lips into a mocking smile.

“Wasn’t it you who insisted our relationship had to be kept secret? My colleagues
were nearby. If they saw, how

would we keep it secret?”

Hearing her sarcastic tone, Joe wasn’t upset. Instead, he found it amusing.

He reached out and pinched her cheek. “Still saying you’re not angry? You obviously
care. I swear, there’s nothing between me and Sophia–it’s just an act. I won’t
really marry her. Stop being mad, okay? Once everything here is settled, I’ll tell
everyone that you’re the one I truly love.”

He had expected to see her touched, maybe even cry, but instead, she just stared at
him for a long while before

finally asking, “Really?”

Her gaze made him feel guilty, and he instinctively looked away without answering.

Olivia wasn’t surprised.

Even if he had answered, they both knew it would have been nothing more than a lie
to appease her.
Joe not marrying Sophia was a lie.

Joe making their relationship public was also a lie.

But fortunately, she had already decided to leave. So, she didn’t feel as
heartbroken anymore.

The next day, Olivia was at work when she suddenly received a message from Joe,
asking her to go to a bridal

boutique.

Since he was still her boss, she had no choice but to comply and took a taxi there.

As she arrived, she immediately saw Joe’s familiar Maybach.

She walked straight toward it, but the window was down, revealing the two people
inside–locked in an intimate

kiss.

Hearing her approach, Sophia, her face flushed, pushed Joe away. “Stop, someone’s
coming…”

Seeing who it was, Joe’s expression stiffened.

Sophia had used his phone to call a secretary for today’s wedding dress fitting,
but she hadn’t expected that the person called would be Olivia.

Joe, lowering his voice, tried to soothe Sophia. “Let’s call someone else. She’s
too young and clumsy to take care of you properly.”

Sophia smirked. “Why? I think she’s quite capable. You told me I could call any
secretary–so is she an exception?”

Joe couldn’t refuse Sophia’s request. Or rather, he never truly refused her.

Even as Sophia deliberately humiliated Olivia throughout the fitting process, he

merely sat and watched, never stepping in.

She made Olivia kneel to help her try on shoes for half an hour.

She sent Olivia running across the city to buy food from the farthest locations.

She forced Olivia to hold up heavy wedding gowns until her arms trembled,
forbidding her to lower them.

As Joe watched her struggle, a flicker of emotion crossed his face.

Sophia, catching his reaction, leaned over and pouted. “Joe, am I being too harsh?”

His expression quickly returned to gentleness as he reassured her, “No, secretaries

are meant to be used.”

Then his phone rang. He gestured at it, indicating he needed to take the call, and
stepped away.
The moment he left, Sophia turned to the full–length mirror, smirking at Olivia’s
reflection.

“Yesterday, I was wondering why you looked so much like me. Now I get it. You’re my
stand–in. But I’d advise you to let go of whatever hopes you have–Joe and I are
getting married.”

Olivia’s voice remained calm. “Don’t worry. I won’t fight you for him.”

Sophia scoffed, unconvinced. She was about to say more when a store clerk
approached.

“Miss Harris, the wedding dress and shoes are ready. We just need to select the
jewelry.”

However, after looking through all the available pieces, Sophia remained
dissatisfied,

Her gaze then landed on the silver, diamond–studded planet necklace around Olivia’s
neck.

“I like that one. How much? Sell it to me.”

Olivia froze, touching the necklace protectively. Her face darkened. “I’m not
selling it.”

“I said I like it, so it has to be mine!” Annoyed at being refused, Sophia reached
out to grab it.

Caught off guard, Olivia failed to stop her, and the necklace snapped under the
force. The planet–shaped pendant crashed to the floor, shattering.

For a moment, Olivia’s mind went blank. Then she raised her hand and slapped Sophia
hard.

“You dare hit me?” Sophia cried, holding her cheek in disbelief.

Chapter 4

At that moment, Joe returned, saw the scene, and his expression changed.

He rushed over and shoved Olivia aside.

“Olivia, what are you doing?!”

Olivia couldn’t dodge in time and was pushed to the ground, her forehead slamming
against the corner of a nearby table.

Bang!

A sharp pain surged through her, followed by a sticky sensation slowly seeping from
her forehead. She reached up to touch it–her fair fingertips were stained crimson.

She looked up at Joe, her breathing unsteady. Yet, the man who had just hurt her
was now anxiously holding another woman in his arms, listening to her pitiful
complaints.

“I just thought Secretary Brown’s necklace was pretty and wanted to buy one for
myself, but I accidentally broke it… Then she hit me..”

Following Sophia’s pointing finger, Joe also noticed the shattered remains of the
necklace on the ground.

His expression froze for a moment, but in the end, when he looked at Olivia, his
gaze carried a hint of impatience. “It’s just a little thing. Did you really have
to hit someone over it?”

His reproach was the final straw that broke the camel’s back. Olivia’s eyes
instantly reddened.

She didn’t respond. Instead, she silently moved toward the fallen necklace, picking
up the broken pieces one by one.

A little thing?

He knew. He knew that was the last keepsake her mother had left her.

She still remembered that winter when they first got together–she had accidentally
lost the necklace in the snow. He had searched for it all night, stepping through
the snow with a flashlight. By the time he finally found it, he had caught such a
bad cold that he came down with a fever the next day.

She had held him and cried for a long time, distressed beyond words. But even then,
it was the sick man who had

comforted her instead.

“I can’t stand seeing you cry. Even if I had to search for three days, ten days,
I’d still find it for you. Don’t cry anymore, just be careful and don’t lose it
again.”

But now, when someone else had broken it, he simply said-“It’s just a little
thing.”

Joe, if you don’t love me, why did you ever come into my life in the first place?

Joe left with Sophia in his arms, leaving Olivia alone. She crouched there, eyes
red, carefully gathering every last fragment of the necklace before stumbling away.

For the next few days, she took a leave of absence and went to the hospital to get
stitches.

During that time, Joe never came home.

The day her wound finally healed, her best friend Jennifer called her.

“Olivia! I found a pair of earrings in Paris that would look absolutely perfect on
you! I just got back today–come over to my place, let’s have dinner, and I’ll give
them to you!”

She was about to leave anyway, and she needed to say goodbye to Jennifer,
So Olivia agreed. She tidied herself up, carefully covering the wound on her
forehead with a thick layer of makeup. After confirming nothing seemed out of
place, she left the house,

Jennifer was particularly excited to see her. She immediately linked arms with her
and started enthusiastically recounting all her travel experiences.

Olivia quietly listened. It wasn’t until after they exchanged gifts and had dinner
that she finally brought up her impending departure.

“I’m going home to get married.”

The words hit Jennifer like a thunderclap.

“What? Olivia, why so sudden?! What about your boyfriend?”

Olivia shook her head. “I don’t want him anymore.”

Seeing her like this, Jennifer didn’t need the details to guess that she had been
hurt.

She felt both furious and heartbroken. Without hesitation, she pulled Olivia into a
tight hug.

“Good! You shouldn’t want him! What kind of boyfriend keeps a relationship secret
for years?”

“It’s all his fault. He broke your heart so badly that you’re running back for a
marriage alliance. Olivia, you’re my best friend! Once you leave for London, when
will we ever see each other again?”

The thought of their upcoming separation made both of them feel heavy–hearted.

In the end, Jennifer couldn’t hold back her emotions and started crying as she
hugged her.

That was the moment Joe walked in.

Seeing the scene before him, he sighed. “You two are adults, why are you still
hugging and crying?”

Jennifer straightened up, her eyes red. “Olivia is getting married! Can’t I cry?”

Joe’s heart suddenly clenched. His gaze snapped toward Olivia, his face instantly
darkening.

“You’re getting married?”

“Yes.” She met his eyes directly, without hesitation or evasion. “If you’re free,
Joe, you’re welcome to attend the

wedding.”

His face fell. Without another word, he grabbed her hand and started pulling her
away.

Jennifer, confused, called after him, “Ge, what are you doing?”
Joe paused but quickly composed himself. “I was heading out anyway. I’ll give her a
ride home.”

Before Olivia could refuse, he had already dragged her out and pushed her into his
car.

Once inside, he leaned over, pressing her against the seat, his expression stormy.
“Olivia, I know you’re still mad about last time, but you can’t joke about
something like marriage!”

She chuckled. So she had told him plainly, yet he still refused to believe her. He
thought she was just acting out of

spite.

“I’m not joking. You’re getting married too, aren’t you? Why can’t I?”

“I already told you, things with Sophia aren’t real-”

Before he could finish, Olivia cut him off.

“Not real? Then why did you take her to try on wedding dresses? Why did you make
your relationship with her public? Why did you let her humiliate me?”

One question after another left him speechless.

Chapter 5

After a long pause, he pressed a hand to his forehead, clearly exhausted. “There
are too many people watching me. I have to keep up appearances.”

She let out a self–mocking laugh.

So, was everything he did for her in the past also just for appearances?

It must have been exhausting for him–back when his so–called first love wasn’t
around, he played the part of a perfect boyfriend. But now that his first love was
back, he had to go all–in with the performance,

“I know you’ve been wronged. Just bear with it for now, and I promise I’ll make it
up to you later, okay?” His voice softened as if he were coaxing a child, as if
their argument wasn’t worth dragging on.

But she remained firm. “I’m really getting married.”

Yet from his expression, it was clear–he still didn’t believe her. Instead, he
casually pulled out a box from the side and handed it to her. “Alright, enough. I
already had someone fix your necklace. Don’t make jokes like this again.”

The roar of the engine drowned out whatever she had been about to say.

She hesitated, then leaned back into her seat, choosing not to explain further.

Fine. Let him believe whatever he wants.

That night, her father sent her a message reminding her to pick out her wedding
dress and rings. A series of pictures soon followed, dazzling Olivia with choices.
She was carefully making her selection when Joe walked out of his room after
showering. Seeing her so focused, he asked casually, “What are you looking at?”

She paused, but still answered honestly. “Wedding dresses and rings.”

She didn’t lie.

Yet the man in front of her suddenly became furious, his brows furrowing tightly.
“Didn’t we agree not to bring that up again?”

Looking at the anger and irritation on his face, Olivia didn’t bother explaining
further.

Soon enough, he would know whether she was lying or not.

She rolled over onto the bed, casting all her thoughts aside and falling asleep. It
wasn’t until the next morning, when she got up, that she saw another string of
numbers from her father.

“Olivia, this is the groom’s number. If you have any questions, you can contact him
directly. You’re getting married soon–it’s good to talk more.”

After copying the number into her contacts, Olivia paused when she reached the name
field. It suddenly occurred to her that her father had never mentioned the groom’s
name.

It seemed a little awkward to call just to ask for a name. She thought for a
moment, then suddenly recalled a fitting phrase and quickly typed it in.

Since she didn’t know his name, a generic note would do just fine.

There was still nearly a month before the wedding, and Olivia had to continue
working as usual. Several departments had come together to organize a networking
event, and her department was among them.

It was meant to be an interdepartmental activity, but that afternoon, Sophia and

Joe happened to pass by and

overheard the discussion.

“A networking event? That sounds fun! Joe, why don’t you come with me? We can go to
the French restaurant

another time.”

A soft, coquettish voice rang beside him. Joe turned to glance at Sophia, who was
tugging at his sleeve and acting coy. He dotingly tapped her nose, then changed
course and walked in with her.

With the CEO himself joining in, the department heads naturally didn’t dare to
refuse. A large group of people soon made their way to the reserved private room.

However, Joe’s presence dampened the atmosphere. Some people tried to make
themselves invisible, while others silently sipped champagne in the corners.

Time passed, but the mood remained stiff–until someone finally broke the silence by
suggesting a game of Truth or
Dare.

As expected, games were the best way to liven things up. The atmosphere quickly
became lively, even Joe joined in. But in the very first round, he lost.

Given his status, no one dared to propose anything too outrageous. After much
discussion, they finally settled on a harmless punishment.

“President Evans, let’s take a look at your photo album!”

True to his word, Joe didn’t refuse. He took out his phone, opened his gallery, and
let everyone see.

The album was filled with photos–all of Sophia.

The onlookers immediately erupted in excitement, marveling at their relationship.

“Wow, the whole album is just pictures of Miss Harris. President Evans, your love
for her is truly deep!”

“So many pictures! Just taking them must have taken a lot of time, right?”

Chapter 6

Listening to the teasing remarks, even Sophia blushed, her cheeks tinged with pink.
She playfully pouted, “When did you take so many photos? I didn’t even notice!”

Joe only smiled without answering, his gaze cutting through the crowd and landing
on the periphery–on Olivia. He was worried she might react, but she merely lowered
her eyes and took a quiet sip of wine, as if she hadn’t been paying attention from
the start.

For some reason, that unsettled him.

He put his phone away, blocking everyone’s view. Then, in an unnoticed moment, he
quickly typed out a message

and sent it.

Olivia soon saw the notification. She opened it to find a short line.

“It’s all fake. Don’t take it to heart.”

She let out a mocking laugh. At this point, did it even matter what was real and
what wasn’t?

The second round of the game quickly began, and this time, Olivia lost. Compared to
Joe, the others were clearly much more at ease with her, and they didn’t hesitate
when deciding her punishment.

“Secretary Brown, your punishment is… call the first contact in your phone!”

Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone and opened her contact list. The
pinned contact at the top was none other than the one she had added earlier that
day–Future Husband.
Her colleagues immediately got excited when they saw the name. No one noticed the
way Joe’s face darkened in an

instant.

He abruptly stood up, startling everyone into silence. The room, which had been
lively moments ago, fell eerily still.

After a moment, a manager cautiously asked, “President Evans, is something wrong?”

“This is boring. Let’s wrap it up.”

With that, he turned and left, taking Sophia with him.

The remaining people exchanged glances, unsure of what had triggered his reaction.
But since he had spoken, the networking event had no choice but to end prematurely.

Olivia lowered her gaze, put away her phone, and followed the group downstairs. She
was just about to hail a cab when a familiar Maybach pulled up in front of her once
again.

The window rolled down. The words were directed at her, but it was clear they were
meant for the person sitting

beside him.

“You’re Jennifer’s best friend. I’ll give you a ride home.”

Olivia studied him for a moment. She didn’t want to create a bigger scene, so she
obediently opened the door and got

in.
The car merged into traffic, heading toward the Harris family’s villa. Throughout
the ride, Sophia kept chattering, reminiscing with Joe about their past. He focused
on driving but still responded to her from time to time when she got particularly
excited.

Olivia turned her gaze to the window, ignoring everything.

When they finally reached the Harris family’s villa, Sophia reluctantly said her
goodbyes. Joe watched her disappear inside before turning back to the car. Instead
of getting into the driver’s seat, he opened the back door–then suddenly grabbed
Olivia by the back of her head and kissed her fiercely.

“Mmph–r

Olivia’s eyes widened in shock. She pushed against him, but he didn’t budge. When
he pried her lips open, she shut her eyes and bit down hard.

He hissed in pain and finally pulled away, wiping at the blood at the corner of his
mouth. His expression darkened, but there was also something unreadable in his
gaze.

Lips pressing into a thin line, he spoke.

“Olivia, throwing a tantrum once is fine. Twice, three times–it gets old.”

It was clear he was talking about the wedding.

She had picked out a wedding dress and ring right in front of him. Now, she even
had a “Future Husband” contact.

He was angry, but he still thought she was just acting out.

But this time, he was completely wrong.

“I’m not throwing a tantrum. I really am getting married.”

She turned her head away, her breathing still uneven from the kiss. Her voice was
muffled, but firm.

He didn’t believe her.

He got into the driver’s seat, hesitated for a moment, then said, “Fine. I’ll give
you a few days off. I’ll stay with you. Stop making a fuss.”

As the car drove away, no one noticed the light still on in the Harris family
villa.

On the second floor, standing by the window, Sophia had seen everything.

As promised, Joe stayed home with Olivia for the next few days, never leaving her
side. However, she often overheard him making phone calls in his study–at first
about other matters, but occasionally, she would

words like “roses” and “birthday.”

Neither she nor Joe had a birthday coming up, so it was obvious who he was planning
for.

“If you have things to do, just go. You don’t need to keep me company.”

After catching him on the phone again, she stood at the doorway, looking at the man
inside. Her expression was calm, devoid of any ripples, yet it still made Joe’s
breath hitch.

After a long silence, he finally gave in and admitted the truth, though he couldn’t
resist justifying himself. “I am indeed throwing a birthday party for Sophia. After
all, so many people are watching–it needs to look good on the

surface.”

Perhaps because it was all out in the open now, Joe no longer avoided her when
dealing with these matters, becoming even more blatant in his actions.

Watching his busy figure, Olivia couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh.

She knew.

The Joe family couldn’t force Joe, who had now fully taken control, to do anything.
Only love could.

Chapter 7
Before long, the day of the birthday party arrived. Joe didn’t invite Olivia, and
she had no intention of going either. She stayed home alone, but not long after he
left, she received a call from Sophia. 1

“Joe is proposing today, but he left the ring at home. Secretary Brown, would you
be so kind as to bring it over?”

There was a condescending edge to her voice, laced with disdain.

Olivia had no desire to go, so she refused outright. “I’m not available. Find
someone else.”

“You’re not afraid of seeing Joe propose to me, are you? Afraid you’ll be so
heartbroken you’ll faint?”

Sophia wasn’t angry at the rejection. Instead, she sounded even more smug.

After a moment of silence, Olivia ignored her last remark and simply agreed. “Send
me the address.”

Once she received the location, she went to the study. Finding the ring carefully
stored away in a drawer, she

hesitated for a moment.

Back then, Joe had suddenly bought a wedding ring, and she had foolishly assumed he
had secretly prepared it for her. She had secretly looked forward to it for so
long.

But now…

She picked up the ring, her fingers tracing the initials engraved on the inside–SH.

Only now did she realize that from the very beginning, this ring had been meant for
Sophia.

Putting the ring away, she hailed a taxi and left.

The party was being held at another villa under Joe’s name. Sophia was on the third
floor. Without overthinking, Olivia headed straight upstairs.

However, just as she reached the turn on the second–floor staircase, a lecherous–
looking man with a roguish smirk suddenly lunged at her!

Completely unprepared, Olivia was caught off guard and trapped in the man’s grip.
She instinctively opened her mouth to call for help, but before she could, he
leaned in, trying to kiss her.

“Don’t struggle, sweetheart. Miss Harris paid me a hefty sum to spend a passionate
night with you. Even if you scream, no one’s coming to save you. Now, let me have a
taste first!”

His laughter was vile, his breath reeking of alcohol and cigarettes.

A wave of terror surged through Olivia. She quickly turned her head to dodge his
kiss, pushing desperately against

his chest.
But to the man, her struggles were nothing more than playful resistance. He pinned
her against the wall, one hand

pressing over her mouth while the other wandered shamelessly over her body,
dragging her toward an unlocked

room nearby.

“How much did she pay you? I’ll give you double–just let me go!”

She trembled as she pleaded, seizing the moment when he was distracted by closing
the door.

The man ignored her completely. After locking the door behind them, he shoved her
against the wall, one hand trapping her wrist while the other roamed freely. His
head dipped lower, his hot breath trailing down her neck.

“If you dare touch me, the Joe and Brown families won’t let you off!”

Seeing that begging wouldn’t work, she swallowed her fear and threatened him
instead. Meanwhile, her free left hand groped frantically for anything she could
use as a weapon.

The man merely sneered at her words.

“So what? At worst, I’ll just-”

Before he could finish, Olivia swung a vase down on his head.

With a sickening crack, the impact sent searing pain through his skull. He reached
up, feeling the warm trickle of blood, before his eyes rolled back and he
collapsed.

Olivia was shaking all over. Gritting her teeth, she threw the door open and bolted
toward the banquet hall.

As expected, Sophia stood among the guests, surrounded by praise and admiration.

Fury surged within her like a tidal wave. Without hesitation, she charged straight
toward Sophia, shoving aside the people in her way–then, with all her strength, she
pushed her!

With a loud crash, followed by exclamations of surprise, Sophia lost her balance
and fell backward, crashing into the champagne tower. The liquid soaked her dress,
and she sat in a sea of broken glass, her legs covered in blood from the shards.

Olivia’s anger was far from gone, and when Joe rushed over, his face twisted in
fury at the sight.

He rushed forward, picked up the pale–faced Sophia, and only glanced at her once.
Without saying a word, he turned and left. That single glance made her feel like
she had fallen into an icy pit.

He had never looked at her with such cold eyes.

The surrounding murmurs reached her ears. She pursed her lips tightly, still not
feeling that she was in the wrong. She hailed a taxi and went straight back to the
villa.

That evening, Joe came back, his anger simmering under his breath as he slammed the
door open.Chapter 8

“I told you, the birthday party was just for show! You couldn’t even last a few
days and had to go find trouble with Sophia?”

Hearing his accusation, Olivia pressed her lips together, but her gaze remained
defiant as she looked at him. “I’m the one causing trouble? She’s the one who sent
someone to try to assault me! The hallway has surveillance footage, and if you
don’t believe it, go watch it yourself!”

“Enough!”

Her explanation did not earn Joe’s approval; instead, his frown deepened. As they
locked eyes, Olívia could see his unquestioning trust in Sophia.

“Sophia isn’t like that! Don’t drag Sophia into this just because you’ve provoked
someone else. Now, come with me to apologize to her!”

“I’m not wrong, so why should I apologize? I won’t go!” Without saying another
word, he tried to drag her to the hospital, but she struggled free, looking at him
with a mixture of disappointment and disbelief.

Seeing her still so stubborn, his face suddenly grew cold. He no longer bothered to
argue, instead calling for bodyguards.

“Get her to the hospital!”

By the time Olivia was escorted to the hospital, she saw Sophia curled up in Joe’s
arms. When she arrived, Sophia was still crying quietly, looking pitiful.

Olivia had been dragged here in a humiliating state, but Joe acted as though he
didn’t see it. He simply looked at her coldly, as if she were a criminal.

In that moment, she felt a lump in her throat. No more words of defense would come
out. She suddenly felt so tired, and when she looked at him, all that was left in
her eyes was silence.

“Fine, I’ll apologize.”

“I’m sorry.”

I shouldn’t have fallen for you, I shouldn’t have wasted these years tangled up
with you.

I was wrong, terribly wrong.

She didn’t look at their expressions anymore. After breaking free from the
bodyguards, she walked straight out the

door.

Joe did not expect her attitude to change so quickly. He was stunned for a moment,
then watched her leave with a feeling of inexplicable panic. But Sophia was still
crying softly in his arms, so he had to shift his attentio back to
her.

In the following days, he was too busy caring for Sophia to come back.

But every day, when Olivia opened the door, there were gifts placed at the villa
entrance. She didn’t accept any of them, but packed them up and donated them all.

The next morning, just after breakfast, her phone rang suddenly,

“Olivia, what do you mean by donating all the gifts? This whole thing was your
fault, and I even tried to apologize to you, but now I’ve done something wrong?”
Joe’s voice sounded weary. “Stop making trouble, okay? You weren’t this

hard to coax before.”

Olivia didn’t respond to him, but her hands paused for a moment.

She suddenly remembered when they had first gotten together. Back then, when she
was hurt and wronged, just one of his hugs was enough.

But that was when the old Olivia still loved Joe. Now, she saw through his lies and
didn’t love him anymore.

In the silence, she could vaguely hear Sophia’s voice on his end.

“The medicine tastes so bitter…”

She chuckled softly and finally spoke, “Put your focus on taking good care of Miss
Harris.”

“I told you it’s fake…” Joe was about to explain, but she cut him off, “Fake or
not, you have to make the whole world believe it, didn’t you say that?”

With that, she quickly hung up, not giving him a chance to respond.

She no longer had time for games. Her one–month notice period was over, and she
could leave now.

After breakfast, she changed clothes and went to the company. After finishing the
final resignation procedures, she returned home and began packing her things.

In the evening, Joe arrived with a pile of gifts. When he saw her, his expression
wasn’t as sharp as before. He placed the gifts aside and then reached out to hug
her.

“Olivia, Sophia and I are getting married soon, and our families want her to move
in here. It’s not appropriate for you to stay here anymore. Why don’t you go stay
in the Golden villa for a while?”

“Don’t overthink it. Once this show is over and the families have agreed, I’ll
bring you back.”

Olivia knew that he had a villa in Golden, though she rarely went there. The place
was far from here, in the south, and hearing him say this made her quietly sneer
inside.

Now that he had a delicate wife, was he planning to keep her as a hidden mistress
outside?

On the way, Joe had imagined how upset Olivia would be when she heard the news. He
had already prepared to coax her and bought so many gifts in advance. But to his
surprise, her expression was calm. She didn’t or make

a scene.

After he finished speaking, she simply replied, “I understand.”

Chapter 9

All his expectations fell apart. She had finally grown up, but he felt strangely
unsettled. Just as he was about to help her pack, his eyes caught sight of the
suitcase spread out on the floor and half–packed. His pupils shrank.

“Why are you already packing?”

Olivia didn’t lift her head, still calm, “I’ve told you many times already. I’m
going home to get married.”

Hearing this, Joe’s heart sank, but he pressed his fingers to his forehead. “Stop
making trouble. I’m really tired lately, Olivia. After everything’s settled, I’ll
publicly announce our relationship, okay?”

At these words, Olivia finally looked at him.

She didn’t understand. He had always treated her like a substitute. Shouldn’t her
getting married be exactly what he wanted?

According to his earlier words, wasn’t it just because he was afraid she couldn’t
accept it that he didn’t bring up the breakup?

Now she had already come to terms with it. She could calmly let go of him and marry
someone else. Why did he still refuse to believe it and wouldn’t let go?

Olivia couldn’t make sense of it and didn’t want to think anymore. She packed the
last piece of clothing into the suitcase and silently pushed it toward the door.

“I’ll take you there.”

Joe’s car had already been parked outside the villa. Seeing her about to leave, he
quickly ran over to take the suitcase from her, intending to put it in the trunk of
his car.

She didn’t refuse. This time, let him take her to the airport personally.

That way, he would always believe.

Just as they were about to get in the car, his phone rang again. It was Sophia.

He hesitated for a moment but eventually walked away to answer the call.

When he returned, he simply flagged down a car, told the driver the destination,
and then explained, “Olivia, I have something to take care of. I’ve arranged a new
ride for you. I’ll join you later.”
Olivia looked at him calmly and nodded without saying anything.

Watching him walk away, disappearing into the traffic, she finally curled her lips.

Joe, you missed your last chance to know the truth.

She turned around and got into the waiting taxi. On her phone, she blocked all
Joe’s contacts, then heard the driver

ask as usual, “Are we going to the Golden villa?”

She shook her head. “Take me to the airport.”

At London Airport, the petite Olivia pushed her suitcase along the flow of people
as she walked out of the terminal and spotted the man waiting outside.

His perfectly tailored suit highlighted his tall and slender figure. His delicate
features, standing there quietly, drew the attention of countless passersby.

A few girls stood not far from him, whispering and sneaking glances at him. One of
them occasionally nudged another with her elbow, seemingly encouraging her to
gather the courage to approach him for his contact information.

But perhaps because of his aloof aura, the girl kept shaking her head, unwilling to
step forward.

At this moment, the man noticed something, his furrowed brow easing, his icy
demeanor melting away, and the slight smile at the corner of his mouth was
perfectly measured as he nodded in her direction.

The group of girls followed his gaze and saw Olivia, just as striking in the crowd.

The next second, their idol finally moved and began walking toward Olivia. The
girls couldn’t help but sigh.

The one who had been encouraged earlier sighed in relief, her expression smug, as
she muttered, “I told you, he must be waiting for someone. He’s definitely taken.
I’m glad I didn’t go over there, or I would have embarrassed

myself…”

The conversation reached Olivia’s ears just as the man stood before her. Her ears
flushed with warmth upon seeing

his face.

He smiled slightly and extended his hand, introducing himself, “Hello, Miss Brown.
I’m Charlie Williams, your….

fiancé.”

Elsewhere, in Edinburgh.

The next day, Sophia moved into Joe’s villa, thoroughly cleaning it from top to
bottom. She threw out everything that didn’t belong and replaced it with the
couple’s items she brought.
It was at that moment that Joe suddenly realized that all the things related to him
seemed to have been left behind when Olivia left.

Thinking about her repeated mention of “returning home to marry,” he felt angry,
but a tinge of anxiety crept into

his heart.

But how could she, who loved him so much, truly leave? She was just throwing a
tantrum. Once the wedding was over, he would take some time to comfort her, and she
would eventually accept the situation.

Olivia loved him so much; how could he really let her go?

But it wasn’t until the day of his wedding with Sophia that Joe realized, to his
shock, that she had stopped contacting

him for quite some time.

His group of friends had arrived early at the scene and couldn’t help but tease
him. “Finally marrying your white moonlight. Are you so happy you’re in a daze? Get
a hold of yourself, it’s your turn soon.”

Chapter 10

He shook his head, still looking worried, “With such a grand wedding, Olivia must
have seen it. I wonder how she is

now.”

The others were stunned, but seeing his genuine concern, they were taken aback.

“Wait, Joe, today is your wedding with Sophia, not with your little secretary.”

“Joe, you can’t really have feelings for her, can you? What about Sophia?”

Hearing Sophia’s name, Joe sighed deeply, finally pulling himself together. “I… I
love Sophia, of course. Our wedding with Sophia must go on. But I feel a bit guilty
for keeping her waiting for seven years. Forget it, I won’t think about it anymore.
Once we go back, I’ll make it up to her.”

He turned to head towards the stage, seemingly trying to push aside his thoughts.
Yet his hand still clutched his phone tightly, as if waiting for something.

As he passed by the guest seats, he overheard a conversation. “Did you hear? The
richest family in London, the Williams family, and the Brown family announced their
marriage news just these past few days!”

“Did you see the photo of the bride? She looks so familiar.”

“You don’t know? The Brown family’s daughter studied in Edinburgh. After
graduation, she worked at Joe’s company as the secretary to Joe. I’ve seen her
before when discussing business. She’s a cute girl.”

London, the Williams family, Edinburgh university, his secretary…

The pieces quickly fell into place, and Joe felt his world spin. He couldn’t
believe the news he was hearing.

Trembling, he took out his phone and opened the news article. The top trending
topic was about the marriage alliance between the Williams family and the Brown
family, and the woman smiling happily beside Charlie was

none other than Olivia.

Joe quickly exited the page and frantically dialed her number. But it was no longer
reachable–had he been blocked?

The realization hit him with a sense of disbelief. Texts, messages, every possible
way of reaching her had been blocked. Even his friend list was deleted.

Feeling a mixture of panic and anger, he turned toward the rest area, only to hear
some voices coming from inside.

Frowning, he thought there might be a thief, but when he overheard the

conversation, he recognized Sophia’s voice.

“I asked you to do something, but you failed. How dare you still come to ask me for
money?”

It seemed like she was speaking to someone, and the conversation wasn’t going well.
Joe felt uneasy and stayed at the door, not entering yet.

A man’s voice came next, “Hurry up, always saying ‘hurry: Miss Harris, I’ve ruined
that secretary’s reputation for you, and now I have a big hole in my head. Yet you
don’t even want to pay for my medical fees? Aren’t you afraid I’ll spill the beans?
Will you still be able to be Joe’s wife?”

The man’s words were full of threat, and Sophia’s heart raced. She was about to
speak when the door suddenly burst

open.

Both of them were shocked to see Joe standing at the door, his face dark with rage.

“Did you send someone to ruin Olivia’s reputation?”

Joe suddenly remembered how, on the night of the incident, when he had returned to
find Olivia, she had refused to admit her fault. She had said it was Sophia who had
instigated it, had hired someone to hurt her, and that there was surveillance
footage in the hallway. If he didn’t believe her, he could check the footage.

But back then, what had he said? He had said, “Sophia is not that kind of person.”

He remembered bringing Olivia in front of Sophia and seeing her agree to apologize
with dead eyes, without any

emotion.
What had she been thinking back then?

A sense of suffocation overwhelmed him as he faced the woman who had caused all of
this, still desperately trying to explain herself. “No, Joe, listen to me. I only
went along with him to protect myself!”

Joe believed that she was only saying those things to protect herself, but how
could that man come up with such a fabricated story out of nowhere? It sounded
ridiculous and would surely make people laugh out loud.

The man saw Sophia throw all the blame onto him, and at that moment, Joe’s
hostility surged, making him too afraid to get any closer. He could only stand at a
distance, his face full of forced smiles as he tried to justify himself. “Don’t
listen to her nonsense. I have phone call recordings and chat logs. I also have
clear records of the transfers she made to me. If it weren’t for the fact that she
refused to pay the remaining balance after I was injured, I wouldn’t be here at
all!”

As he spoke, he glared viciously at Sophia, who was crawling over to Joe’s side. He
tapped on his phone a few times, and soon, an audio recording began playing loudly.

“One hundred thousand, help me ruin a person, destroy her reputation. After the job
is done, I will pay you another two hundred thousand. I’ll send you the time and
place later.”Chapter 11

“I’ve already brought her here. You should come over immediately. I’ve sent you the
address and her photo.”

Sophia’s voice was very distinct, and Joe quickly realized that the man wasn’t
lying. His face darkened even more, and he lowered his head to look at Sophia, who
was clinging to his leg. His gaze was cold, making her shiver with

fear.

Rage consumed his rationality, and he even forgot that the person in front of him
was the woman he had loved for ten whole years. With a forceful shove, he kicked
her away.

The sudden impact left Sophia stunned, pain mixing with her shock, forcing tears to
spill from her eyes. She opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound. All she could
do was watch him make a phone call before turning and leaving, casually pulling the
door shut behind him.

Joe never imagined that his gentle and kind–hearted Sophia would do such a thing.
What shocked him even more was that his first reaction upon hearing the news was to
think of Olivia, who must be furious after being wronged.

His steps quickened as he hurried out of the banquet hall and went straight to the
underground parking lot of the hotel. After getting his car, he sped off.
Meanwhile, his phone, which he had carelessly left behind, began vibrating non–
stop, the ringtone ringing over and over. Finally, growing impatient, he turned it
off.

The world grew quiet, and the car finally stopped in front of a villa in Golden
community.

He opened the door and entered, only to find the villa eerily quiet and empty, with
no signs of anyone having lived there. He froze for a moment, and then a self–
deprecating smile appeared on his face.

It turned out, she had never been here at all.

He felt a bit lost, the things he had always believed now being overturned.
Reluctantly, he turned his phone back on, and the flood of missed calls and
messages caused it to freeze for a full five minutes before returning to normal. He
ignored the messages asking where he had gone and immediately found Jennifer’s
contact, dialing her number.

She answered quickly, as if she had been looking for him, her voice filled with
urgency. “Bro, the wedding has started! Where are you? Why did you lock up my
sister–in–law?”

Questions kept coming, but he didn’t have the time to answer. Instead, he urgently
asked about Olivia. “Jennifer, have you been able to contact Olivia?”

Jennifer paused, a little surprised. She hadn’t expected Joe, who had suddenly
disappeared from the wedding, to answer the phone and, instead of explaining the
wedding, ask about Olivia, who had already returned to London.

“Yes, she sent me a photo today and showed me her fiancé. He’s powerful and kind to
her, far better than her previous boyfriend, who was so reclusive… Hey? Hey! Bro!”

The call was abruptly cut off, leaving Jennifer confused. She remembered the urgent
situation with their parents

being cornered and turned to face Harris’s parents, who were glaring angrily at
her. She sighed and redialed Joe’s

number,

This time, however, the call wouldn’t go through. He had turned off his phone
again.

Jennifer sighed deeply, thinking, if she’s wrong, let the law punish her, but why
did her brother have to suddenly run away from his wedding, leaving their parents
to be tied up with questions? She was left with the task of finding

him.

Suddenly, a “ding–dong” sound came from her phone, and she glanced at it. It was an
email from Joe. Confused as to why he didn’t just talk to her but instead sent an
email, she furrowed her brow and opened it.

The first thing that caught her eye was a video, seemingly from a security camera
in a stairwell.

The video was very clear, showing Sophia sneaking around with a man. It recorded
how she had manipulated him into bringing a man to ruin Olivia’s reputation. The
video showed the man pouncing on Olivia when she arrived.

She then clicked on the audio that came with the email. Upon hearing the content,
she suddenly stood up in anger and slammed the table. “Harris’s uncle, Harris’s
aunt, instead of questioning my brother for running away from the wedding, why
don’t you explain what your precious daughter was planning to do?”
The audio played out loud, and the voices of a man and a woman could clearly be
heard. Sophia’s face instantly turned pale. Her eyes, red and swollen, and her
tear–streaked face made her appear pitiful, but Jennifer wasn’t falling for it.

“Olivia is my best friend. Anyone who dares to bully her–Joe family, you have her
but not me!”

Meanwhile, on the other side, Olivia was following her father out, sending Charlie
off. Their conversation seemed lighthearted, and their smiles were unmistakable. As
he left the villa, her father winked at her, coughing a few times as a signal for
her to accompany Charlie. Seeing their expectant gazes, Olivia couldn’t bring
herself to refuse and finally smiled. “Mr. Williams, I’ll walk you out.”Chapter 12

Charlie followed her, but his gaze didn’t leave her. When she felt slightly
uncomfortable under his intense stare, he finally looked away and spoke, “Our
wedding is in three days.”

Olivia was taken aback by his sudden mention of the wedding, thinking he was going
to talk about keeping their distance. But the next moment, she realized she was
mistaken.

“Are you still going to call me Mr. Williams?” His voice carried a slight
amusement, but underneath, there was a hint of grievance.

Olivia was too flustered to pay attention to his emotions. The word “Olivia” that
he used was what caught her mind. It wasn’t that no one had called her that before–
her friend Jennifer, her father, and even Joe had called her that. But when it came
from Charlie, it felt entirely different.”

She tried to stay calm, but the blush spreading to her face betrayed her
embarrassment. He saw it all but didn’t step back. Instead, he took a step closer.
“Olivia doesn’t even have me saved as anything but Mr. Williams, does she?”

“No… no…” This time, Olivia clearly heard the accusation in his voice. Flustered,
she waved her hands and, as she thought about the note on her phone, the blush
spread from her ears to her cheeks.

If before, Charlie’s question seemed casual, now, seeing her reaction, his
curiosity about her phone’s note grew.

As she spoke, she directly took out her phone and dialed her number. The ringtone
sounded abruptly, and she hurriedly took out her phone to hang up the call.
However, he was quick enough to stand beside her, catching a glimpse of the note on
her screen.

“Future husband.”

When he saw those four words, a sense of satisfaction filled Charlie’s heart. He
smiled, stopping her from hanging up the call, and brought his phone next to hers.
His screen displayed two words as well. “Wife.”

She recoiled from the phone like she had been shocked by electricity, her ears
reddening even more. She weakly muttered, “Childish.”

“Yes, I’m childish,” Charlie didn’t mind, withdrawing his hand as he watched her
quickly hang up the phone and put it away. He chuckled lightly, “If Olivia could
remove the word ‘future‘ from that, I might be even more childish.”
Olivia didn’t respond. She glanced around, trying to change the topic, but suddenly
a figure appeared in her sight. He was panting, seemingly having run over. The joy
in his eyes disappeared instantly when he saw the man beside her. She was stunned
for a moment but quickly regained composure. As she averted her gaze, all traces of
emotion disappeared.

Charlie sensed her brief moment of hesitation and also looked toward the direction
she had been looking. His ga met Joe’s cold one. He adjusted his glasses, then
lowered his head and looked at Olivia. “Do you know him?”

The slight lift in his tone made her press her lips together. After a long pause,
she nodded, “Former boss.”

Joe, who had walked over, felt a sharp pang in his heart when he heard her plain
“former boss.” He opened his mouth to explain but, when he met her gaze–like she
was looking at a stranger–he couldn’t say a word.

Charlie noticed the odd atmosphere between the two of them. Perhaps because his
gaze was too direct, he couldn’t help but grow more cautious, wondering if this
person was trying to steal his woman.

Thoughts swirling in his mind, he showed no signs of his inner turmoil. “Wasn’t
Olivia a secretary in Edinburgh before? How come your former boss is here? Couldn’t
this have been discussed over the phone? Why go through all the trouble for the CEO
to come all the way here?”

Joe’s face darkened at Charlie’s words, but he wasn’t here to argue with him.
Ignoring him, he stared directly at

Olívia.

“Oli… Olivia, I need to talk to you privately. Could you give me a moment?”

The forced change in his tone made his voice a bit hoarse. His eyes were filled
with unease as he tried to force a smile, fearing she would reject him outright.
His worries were quickly realized.

She shook her head and kept a social distance, her tone formal as she spoke, “Mr.
Evans, if you have something to say, say it directly. My fiancé is still here, it
wouldn’t be appropriate to be alone with someone else, would it?”

Joe’s heart sank, and his smile froze. He hadn’t expected her to be so direct about
the fiancé part. After a long pause, he spoke again, “You really… are getting
married?”

Hearing this question, Olivia couldn’t help but scoff, then thought for a moment.
She still wanted to look at Charlie, but before she could speak, he had already
nodded knowingly. “You two talk,” he said and turned to walk a little further away,
squinting slightly as he walked.Chapter 13

He had noticed the tension between them, but he wasn’t concerned about Joe. As
things stood between them, whether Joe was just a former boss or something more,
the relationship was over. He could trust Olivia.

Once he had distanced himself, she turned back to face Joe, her gaze calm, but her
words sharp.
“Mr. Evans, you are the CEO of a listed group, how come you’re both deaf and blind
at such a young age? If I’m not mistaken, I’ve explained this to you many times
already. I really am going to get married. Even if you couldn’t hear it, the news
of the merger between the Brown and Williams families was trending just a few days
ago. You may not have heard it, but you should have seen it, right?“.

Olivia truly couldn’t understand Joe’s intentions.

If he loved her, why had he treated her as a substitute for seven years, and after
Sophia returned, discarded her without hesitation to choose Sophia, hiding it from
her and turning her from a legitimate girlfriend into a despised mistress? He never
gave her the trust she deserved, letting Sophia humiliate her in every way.

But if he didn’t love her, shouldn’t her leaving and supporting him and Sophia be
what he wanted? Why was he here

now?

Also, according to the news she had seen a few days ago, wasn’t today his wedding
with Sophia? Instead of staying in Edinburgh to marry Sophia, why was he in London
looking for her?

Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Joe quickly began explaining, “Olivia, I’m sorry.
I know now. I misunderstood you. I didn’t know Sophia was such a malicious person.
I’m apologizing to you, will you forgive me this time? I really know I was wrong.
You’re only engaged to him because you were angry with me, right? Give me one more
chance, come back to Edinburgh with me, okay? I swear, once you come back with me,
I won’t care about acting or anything else. I just want to be with you, and we’ll
go public right away, okay?”

He said a lot, but he didn’t know how much Olivia had taken in. All he could hear
was the sound of his heartbeat, pounding in his ears.

He waited for her to nod, for her to smile at him, even if it was to scold him and
say that if he ever treated her like this again, she would never speak to him. He
would swear on his life that he would never betray her again.

She smiled slightly, and his heart skipped a beat, but she quickly crushed all of
his hopes with her words.

“No.” She watched his smile fade and her gaze grew colder as she listed out his
wrongdoings.

“Joe, the moment I accepted the marriage arrangement, I was already saying goodbye
to you. After all, I’m not the kind of person who can be a substitute for seven
years, be engaged to someone else, and deceive myself that a seven–year
relationship is real. Joe, there will only be one person by my side. He won’t treat
me like a substitute, and he won’t come up with excuses to avoid going public. That
person will definitely not be you.”

It was only at this moment that Joe realized that Olivia had known everything.

She knew he had treated her as a substitute for seven years,

Knew about his real marriage with Sophia and the lies he told her,

Knew about his wavering, and so she had decisively abandoned him.
He opened his mouth but couldn’t say anything. He watched her smile disappear, and
her gaze towards him was filled with disgust.

Tears welled up in his eyes, but he held them back, his eyes turning red. Watching
Olivia walk away, a surge of unwillingness rose in his heart.

They had been together for seven years, from eighteen to twenty–five. The best
years of her life had been spent with him. Their relationship should have been the
most significant part of her life. How could she so easily let go of him?

“Olivia!” Joe’s voice, choked with tears, called out from behind. This time,
however, she didn’t stop, walking directly toward Charlie, even jogging a few steps
as she neared him.

Joe suddenly remembered the time when they first got together.

At that time, all his feelings for her were tied to Sophia. He had been infatuated
with her face, sinking into endless passion with her, calling her name as she fell
asleep in his arms.

He knew he had been cruel, fooling the young girl into falling into his web of
lies, and because of that, he felt guilty, unable to give her love, and tried to
make up for it with other things.

Romance, money, status… but he never wanted to go public with their relationship.

He thought that if Sophia returned one day, they could separate gracefully, and she
wouldn’t suffer from others‘ criticisms. She could completely distance herself from
him.

But now, in the seventh year of their relationship, after Sophia had returned, and
he was about to marry her, Joe realized, when his friends advised him to let go,
that he couldn’t bear it.Chapter 14

That’s when he tried to deceive her into believing their arranged marriage was a
lie. He never expected she would realize the truth early and plan her escape.

When had it all started? It seemed like… the day the news broke about his marriage
to Sophia, when Olivia had cried, but then so easily let it go when he explained.

If she hadn’t known the truth, she should have made a scene, asking when he would
give her a proper status.

Even that resignation letter, she had handed it in to the HR department the next
day.

Joe did not remember signing Olivia’s resignation letter. He was surprised when he
learned that she had resigned. He went to ask the Human Resources department and
obtained the resignation letter. After seeing the date on it, he suddenly recalled
that day, when she had handed him several documents to sign.

He had read through all the documents, except for the last one, which he had signed
directly without looking because of Sophia’s injury.

Now, as he thought back to it, he realized something was off. He had been too slow
to catch on. It was such an obvious change that he should have noticed earlier.

He was wrong, and he knew it. So, even if she didn’t want to give him another
chance, Joe still wanted to try once more. He took out his phone, his gaze
lingering on the two figures walking side by side in the distance. After the call
connected, he spoke first, “Jennifer, you’re Olivia’s best friend. Her wedding is
in three days. Will you come?”

On the other end of the line, Jennifer, who had just dealt with the marriage
matters between the Joe and Harris families with her parents, was still full of
resentment. After all, Sophia’s targeting of Olivia had something to do with Joe,
and now he had just left her to clean up the mess. But hearing his words, her eyes
lit up with surprise. “You’re in London?! I’ll go!”

Joe knew that if he attended Olivia’s wedding alone, she might not allow him in.
But with Jennifer there, she would never stop her. He just needed to enter with
Jennifer, and then the rest would take care of itself.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and Jennifer arrived in London the day
before the wedding. To keep the surprise, she waited until she was in London to
message Olivia. When they met, the surprise was evident.

Although Jennifer didn’t understand why Joe insisted on her bringing him into the
wedding, she didn’t ask further. After receiving a special invitation, she proudly
waved it at him.

The red color of the invitation stung Joe’s heart, but he clenched his teeth, not
daring to show any signs of abnormality. He pretended to be indifferent and pushed
her into another room before returning to his own room to try on the new suit
delivered today.

After picking the one that best suited his look, despite the turmoil in his heart,
he forced himself to sleep.

Tomorrow, he would present himself in the best possible state at Olivia’s wedding
and then… steal her away.

The wedding of the Brown and Williams families was set to take place at the most
luxurious hotel in London.

Joe had already changed into his suit early and urged Jennifer to head to the hotel
with him. Seeing the man dressed so finely, Jennifer’s strange feeling grew
stronger.

“Olivia and Charlie are getting married. Why are you dressing up so grandly?”

Ignoring Jennifer’s furrowed brows, Joe coughed lightly and came up with an excuse,
“She’s your best friend and was once my secretary. She’s also suffered because of
me. I naturally need to treat her life’s big event with respect.”

Although Jennifer still felt something was off, she ultimately accepted his
explanation. She glanced at him sideways and snorted, “As long as you know. Don’t
forget to give a big red envelope later!”

Joe nodded lightly, his eyes darkening for a moment.

Of course, the red envelope had to be large. As long as Olivia was willing to leave
with him, he would offer her all the shares of the Joe family. As for Charlie…

He sneered. If the Williams family had a problem with losing a wife, he could
always introduce another one.

Joe was full of good thoughts as he followed Jennifer into the hotel.

The wedding venue was bustling, with many guests arriving. After Jennifer entered,
she went straight to the backstage to find Olivia, leaving Joe alone in the banquet
hall.

The wedding ceremony soon began. Olivia, dressed in an exquisite custom wedding
dress, walked up the stage arm in arm with her father. Beneath the delicate veil,
her smile was still visible as she walked toward Charlie, standing

at the front.

From his seat, Joe’s eyes turned red. Hearing it repeatedly wasn’t as impactful as
seeing her in a wedding dress walking toward another man. He had thought he could
face this calmly, but at that moment, he realized he couldn’t accept it.Chapter 15

The ceremony continued, with the host asking, “Do you take Mr. Williamses your
husband, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

She turned to look at the man beside her. His calm and gentle expression balanced
the sharpness of his suit. When she looked at him, he smiled softly back at her.

Olivia was still a little dazed. Not long ago, she was Joe’s undisclosed
underground girlfriend, and now, in just a week, she was about to become someone
else’s wife.

Suddenly, she felt a warm sensation in her palm. Looking at Charlie’s tightly
pursed lips, she snapped back to reality, just about to say “I do” when the crowd
stirred.

“Wait!” Joe, dressed as if he were the groom, interrupted the ceremony. The guests
whispered, “What is this? Is he trying to steal the bride?”

“That’s the CEO of the Joe Group from City Y, right? I haven’t heard of any
relationship between him and the bride or groom. And if I remember correctly,
didn’t he just have a wedding recently?”

“His wedding? Don’t bring that up. He ran away from the ceremony, and I heard the
two families broke off the engagement right after!”

Ignoring all the gossip, Joe remained in his seat. Jennifer, who was moved by the
thought of her best friend finally finding happiness, was stunned by his actions.
She quickly moved forward, covering her face and trying to drag him away,
muttering, “This is my best friend’s wedding. If you’re going crazy, go somewhere
else, but don’t ruin my best friend’s wedding!”

Her voice, deliberately lowered, couldn’t bring back his sense of reason. Joe stood
still, his intense gaze focused on Olivia on stage. He spoke aloud, “Olivia, I’ve
wronged you in the past. I know I was wrong. I wanted to let you go and wish you
happiness, but when I saw you walking toward someone else, I realized I couldn’t.
Will you come with me? I swear, I will never hurt you again.”

His eyes were filled with deep emotion and regret, almost bringing the crowd to
tears. Jennifer, hearing his words, suddenly felt a connection in her mind. She
seemed to understand something.
On the stage, Olivia’s gaze met that of Joe in the audience, her eyes catching his
apology and regret. However, her expression remained unchanged.

She simply tilted her head slightly, meeting his gaze, her voice filled with
confusion, “What do you mean by this, Mr. Evans? I’m just your former secretary.
Joe’s company is powerful and wealthy–how could you not even find a secretary?
Besides, if you wanted to bring me back, you shouldn’t be saying such ambiguous
things at my wedding.”

With just a few words, she distanced herself from him completely. The crowd looked
back and forth between the stage and the audience, their thoughts racing.

They had never heard of any entanglements between Joe and Olivia. Furthermore, not
long ago, the marriage talks between the Joe and Harris families had stirred up
quite a commotion, but considering the closely timed wedding

dates between the two families, their minds inevitably wandered.

Could it be that Olivia had feelings for Joe? Had she learned of his marriage and
realized there was no more chance for her? So, she chose to go home and entered a
marriage of convenience? But judging by their attitudes, that didn’t seem to be the
case.

Joe, the center of the conversation, suddenly turned pale upon hearing this.

Years ago, his attempts to deceive a young girl into keeping their relationship
secret were now back to haunt him. He had hoped to evoke their seven–year
relationship to soften her heart, but unexpectedly, she was so ruthless, directly
denying their seven years together, forcing him into a difficult position.

He opened his mouth, but the endless regret spread, through his body, and all he
could do was shake his head, unable to say anything.

Olivia turned to look at Charlie. With just one glance, he understood her
intention. He waved his hand, and security quickly dragged Joe away, moving so fast
that the crowd couldn’t help but whisper.

The venue fell silent again. The newlyweds turned to face the officiant and nodded,
signaling for him to continue.

The officiant, having finished processing the interruption, quickly regained his
composure and repeated the interrupted question. This time, without any further
disturbances, Olivia quickly responded, “I do.”

The wedding proceeded smoothly, and no one mentioned the earlier scene. Everyone
treated it as a joke.

“Olivia, I’m sorry. It was my fault for bringing my brother in. I didn’t expect him
to cause such a scene…” After everything had ended, Jennifer hurriedly caught up
with Olivia, her movements awkward and her tone stiff. Olivia ignored her unease
and greeted her as she boarded the same car. “It’s not your fault. With your
brother’s personality, even if you didn’t bring him in, he would’ve found another
way.”

Olivia had always been clear about who was who. Jennifer was Jennifer, and Joe was
Joe. She would never let their relationship issues affect Jennifer.

Chapter 16
Seeing that she really wasn’t upset, Jennifer finally felt relieved. She sat down
beside her and, after a long pause, hesitated before asking, “Olivia, what exactly
is going on between you and my brother? Is he the boyfriend you told

me about?”

Olivia shook her head and was about to dismiss the question when Jennifer
interrupted her. “Don’t try to trick me. My brother doesn’t lack secretaries. He
wouldn’t come all the way here to snatch a bride for a secretary.”

Olivia paused, looking at Jennifer’s uneasy expression as she waited for an answer.
Finally, she sighed and decided not to hide the truth any longer. “Yes, I’ve been
dating him for seven years.”

“Seven years!” Jennifer’s voice suddenly rose. She had always known that Olivia had
a long–term, unseen boyfriend but never knew the exact time. Now, learning this,
she counted the years on her fingers, her eyes wide in surprise. “I’ve only known
you for seven years. Did you two start dating right after you met? How did it
happen? Did he

confess to you? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Olivia was startled by her sudden outburst and helplessly patted her shoulder.
“Stop overreacting. And you’re asking so many questions; where do I even begin?”

Jennifer wasn’t going to let her off so easily. She put her hands on her hips and
glared at her. “Start from the beginning!”

After hearing their story, Jennifer was nearly driven to faint from anger.

Jennifer had never been completely unaware of their situation. After all, she had
seen Joe’s admiration for Sophia and knew that Olivia resembled Sophia. So, when
they met for the first time, and Joe indirectly asked her about Olivia, she had
sternly warned him not to have improper thoughts about her.

She considered Olivia her best friend, so she couldn’t just stand by and watch her
friend fall into a trap. Although they interacted as friends, and even though Joe
treated her a bit differently, she had always assumed it was because of Olivia’s
face that she had earned such preferential treatment. She turned a blind eye, never
giving it much

thought.

What she never expected was that by being so indulgent, she had wasted seven years
of Olivia’s youth.

“Sorry, Olivia, it’s all my fault for not warning you sooner. If I had known that
your reclusive boyfriend was Joe, I would have known he had bad intentions… Damn
Joe, to do that on the first meeting… I shouldn’t have let you be with him in the
first place!”

By the end, Jennifer’s voice was filled with frustration and barely suppressed
anger. Olivia reached out and embraced her, gently patting her back to comfort her.
“It’s not your fault: I was the one who misjudged him and let myself be fooled by
his looks. I kept you in the dark. This was never your fault. And look at me now,
I’m doing fine.”
“Charlie treats me so well. I’m really happy now. If Joe hadn’t appeared, I
probably wouldn’t have accepted the arranged marriage my father set up for me, and
I wouldn’t have met Charlie. This might just be one of those ‘blessings in
disguise,‘ who knows?” She paused for a moment. “Alright, today is my wedding day,
we can’t be crying like this. Hurry up and wipe your tea

Olivia took a tissue from her bag and gently wiped away the tears at Jennifer’s
eyes. Jennifer leaned her head against Olivia’s shoulder and said in a muffled
voice, “Olivia, please don’t ignore me because of him…”

“How could I? You’ll always be my best friend.” Olivia chuckled softly and
comforted Jennifer gently. Just then, there was a knock on the car window from
outside. She lowered the window to find Charlie standing outside, his gaze
lingering on Jennifer, who was still crying in her arms. His teeth were clenched,
and he forced a smile. “Are we heading back now? What does this young lady plan to
do?”

“I’ll go back on my own.” Jennifer immediately sensed the urgency in Charlie’s

tone, so she didn’t linger any longer.. She wiped her tears with the back of her
hand, pushed the car door open, and got out. After closing the door, she turned
around and spoke through the window that hadn’t fully risen, “Olivia, you need to
be happy. Don’t forgive him.”

Though she didn’t explicitly name the person, both of them knew who she was
referring to. Olivia nodded and waved at her. “Jennifer, be safe!”

Jennifer watched as Charlie got into the car, which slowly drove away, gradually
disappearing from view. Tomorrow, she would be heading back to Edinburgh. After
parting today, she didn’t know when they would meet again.

She turned and boarded another car. Joe, who had been kicked out of the venue, was
already waiting inside. When he saw Jennifer get in, his eyes flickered. Just as he
was about to speak, he was interrupted.

“Don’t ask me about anything related to Olivia. I won’t tell you.” She sat in the
passenger seat, without even turning to look at him. She was already rejecting his
request, her voice tinged with irritation. “Brother, why Olivia? I told you before
that Olivia is my best friend. Why would you choose her? You could have found a
substitute anywhere else. Why did you have to go after her, from my side? How am I
supposed to face Olivia in the future?”

Chapter 17

Joe let out a bitter smile. Because back then, he had been consumed with thoughts
of Sophia, who had gone abroad. When he saw Olivia, his whole heart trembled.

She was so much like her.

Even after Jennifer repeatedly warned him not to develop improper feelings for
Olivia, he could not let go. He didn’t even know when he truly developed feelings
for her, and could only regret when she, heartbroken, chose to

leave.

He buried his face in his hands, stifling his emotions as he quietly cried.
Jennifer, sitting in the front seat, didn’t care. She simply instructed the driver
to leave. Soon, the car stopped at the hotel, and without waiting for him, she got
out and went upstairs.

The next morning, she coldly knocked on his hotel room door. When he opened it,
disheveled and unshaven, she frowned in slight disgust. “Hurry up and pack. I’ve
booked a 9 a.m. flight back to Edinburgh, and you’re coming with

me.”

Now, she wouldn’t dare leave Joe alone in Olivia’s city. If he was to leave, it had
to be with her. She wasn’t sure if the drama from the wedding would spread, but she
had to prepare in advance. She couldn’t let Olivia get hurt by them again.

On the other side, when Olivia woke up, she found that her father had already had
her luggage packed and sent over. It was now neatly arranged in the living room,
organized alongside his own belongings.

Her colorful dresses were neatly hung in his wardrobe, which usually only held
black, white, and gray suits. This brought a touch of vitality to the otherwise
dull closet. Her vanity, which had been a bit empty with only a few makeup and
skincare products the day before, was now filled to the brim with new, unopened
products of her favorite brands.

Curious, she walked over to take a bottle of moisturizer. “How did you know I use
this?” she asked, shaking it in front

of him.

He smiled without hiding anything. “I have many ways of finding out what I want to
know.” He gently pulled her into his arms, planting a kiss on the corner of her
lips. Through the mirror, his eyes met hers, watching her cheeks flush slightly.

She playfully pushed him away but couldn’t move him. Eventually, she gave up. As
she shifted, the noticeable hickeys on her neck caught his possessive gaze. Feeling
uncomfortable, she tugged at her collar to cover them. Then, her curiosity got the
best of her, and she asked, “You found out a lot?”

Charlie shook his head. “Just some trivial things. As for my wife’s personal
matters, if my wife is willing to share them with me, I’d rather hear them from
her.”

Like yesterday’s chaotic wedding with Joe.

But clearly, Olivia didn’t want to bring up that subject. So, he didn’t ask.
Instead, he focused on something else.

She tilted her head up, and his face came closer, so close that she could almost
count his eyelashes. Her face turned red, and even though they had been more
intimate the night before, she still felt uneasy with such close proximity.
Fortunately, he didn’t remain in that position for long and pulled away, giving her
a chance to breathe.

She couldn’t help but admire his keen sense of timing. He always seemed to know
just when to pull back, never making her uncomfortable.

“Do you like me?”

Olivia hesitated for a long time before finally asking the question. From the
moment they met, his attitude had given her that feeling, but she had always
thought it was just a misinterpretation. After all, she was certain they had never

met before.

He nodded without hesitation. When he saw the confusion in her eyes, a flicker of
disappointment passed through

his heart.

“Maybe you don’t remember me, but I remember you very clearly. Ten years ago, I
participated in a national competition. I was locked in a storage room out of
jealousy, and it was you who saved me.”

She was stunned, her face turning even redder. She hurriedly waved her hands,
embarrassed. That was such an exaggeration!” But he shook his head, pulling her
back into his arms.

“Don’t be in a hurry to deny it, Olivia. If it weren’t for you, there wouldn’t be
the me you see today.”

The next time Olivia heard news about Joe, it was from a news report, accompanied
by a photo of him unconscious on a stretcher in the hospital.

Normally, a businessman going to the hospital wouldn’t make it to the trending

topics, but not long ago, he had been embroiled in two scandalous stories, and now,
news of him being hospitalized after drunkenly entering the emergency room ignited
the public’s gossip. People eagerly speculated that he was heartbroken, but they
couldn’t figure out over which romance.

After all, he had escaped his wedding with his own fiancée, only to have his
attention captured by someone no one had ever connected with him before.
Chapter 18

Not long ago, the marriage alliance between the Joe and Harris families had been a
topic of widespread discussion, but now, that same alliance seemed utterly
laughable.

As people dug deeper, they began to uncover some juicy rumors.

For example, the person Joe was after was the top secretary of the Joe Group who
had studied finance in university and joined the company immediately after
graduation, working closely with Joe;

Or that they had once been seen getting into the same car after work, with Joe
himself behind the wheel;

Or that this top secretary had always kept a close relationship with Joe since
university, but whenever questioned, she would deflect with the excuse, “Just a
friend’s brother“;

And also, the fiancée Joe had abandoned looked remarkably similar to this top
secretary, with the two even having

public altercations in the past.

But as the story unraveled further, the revelations became even more shocking. Some
dug into Joe’s statement on the day of the wedding he abandoned, piecing together
earlier events. It seemed that Joe and Olivia had secretly established a
relationship long before, but when the daughter of the Harris family returned to
the country, he

immediately got engaged to her.

Had they broken up by then? No one knew, as they had never publicly acknowledged
being together.

The battle between the substitute and the real partner unfolded in the minds of
netizens, with many accidentally piecing together the truth.

Some people called him flirtatious, others called him scum, and there were even
comments directed at Olivia, blaming her for not being good enough for Joe, saying
she was too self–sacrificing, willing to stay with a man who refused to acknowledge
her for seven years, only to be cheated on and still not leaving him.

At that moment, Olivia received a call from Joe’s parents. Despite their son’s
reckless behavior, they still couldn’t bring themselves to completely abandon him.
Though most of the power had shifted to Jennifer’s hands and they had more or less
given up on him, seeing him wallowing in decadence and drunkenness, even ending up
in the hospital, hearing him repeatedly mutter Olivia’s name, they couldn’t help
but swallow their pride and ask for her

help.

The distance between London and Edinburgh spanned half the country, and though it
was possible to fly, the long journey was still a burden. This was why Olivia had
only told Jennifer she was returning home for her wedding but hadn’t invited her to
the ceremony.

Now, her only remaining connection to the Joe family was through Jennifer. The
situation with Joe had ended poorly, and the online insults regarding Joe’s actions
hadn’t been dealt with yet. Now, with her married status, she was going to approach
him–wasn’t that just asking for more insults?

Thinking this, she decisively refused, and just as she finished speaking, Charlie’s
voice came from behind, “Wife, it’s time to eat.”

Olivia replied softly, maintaining her composure as she said goodbye to Joe’s
parents and hung up. As she walked downstairs, she was greeted by the delicious
smell of lunch waiting for her on the table, and she couldn’t help but feel a surge
of surprise and joy.

Since their marriage, Charlie had made it a habit to take time off every day to
have lunch with her. Today, he even offered to cook for her so she could taste his
culinary skills.

Olivia had initially thought that with Charlie’s status, any meal he made would at
best be edible, but after tasting it, she realized she had underestimated him and
couldn’t help but give him a thumbs–up.

Charlie laughed lightly and pinched her nose, his tone teasing, “You underestimated
me. I’m the man who lived alone for seven years in a country famous for its lack of
good food!”

His pride was evident in his voice, and Olivia played along, “Mm, you’re amazing.”
His pride crumbled in an instant, and he squeezed her face, gritting his teeth, “So
perfunctory.”

She chuckled, snatched her face back from his hand, and casually picked up a piece
of food, feeding it to him. “Not bad, here’s your reward.”

After spending so many days together, Olivia had grown accustomed to her
relationship with Charlie. He was serious and cold in front of others, but in her
presence, he was like a lively, mischievous friend.

Back in London, Olivia’s father had asked her about her plans, and after thinking
for a moment, she decided not to continue her previous career. Instead, she focused
on learning how to handle the family business, which would also prepare her for
taking over the family legacy. Whenever she didn’t understand something, Charlie
was there to teach her, and she was learning quickly.

Today marked Olivia’s official first day at the Brown Group. As the workload piled
up, she became so absorbed that she lost track of lunchtime. It wasn’t until
Charlie came in with a lunchbox that she realized the time. She quickly set down
her papers and moved toward him.Chapter 19

“What are we eating today?” she asked eagerly, watching him slowly open the
lunchbox and take out the dishes.

The creamy fish soup, tender fish fillets, used to be one of her favorites. But for
some reason, when the delicious smell entered her nose, her stomach suddenly
churned.

She tried to hold it in, but the more she tried, the worse the feeling became,
until she could no longer bear it. As Charlie handed her a small bowl of soup, its
aroma hit her even harder, and she couldn’t hold back anymore. She quickly stood up
and rushed to the CEO’s office restroom, vomiting violently.

Charlie was stunned for a moment before rushing after her, anxiously asking, “What
happened, wife? Is there something wrong with the fish soup? I followed the same
steps as the last few days, and it was fine before. Why is it like this today?”

Olivia shook her head. She wasn’t sure either. As she continued to vomit, she found
a moment to reassure him, I don’t know. It just smells too fishy, and it makes me
feel sick…”

After she vomited, her face was pale, and her thoughts were a chaotic mess. It was
clear that her stomach was upset, but she instinctively touched her belly, and only
then did it seem like something clicked in her mind. She suddenly looked up at
Charlie.

He was momentarily stunned by her gaze but still asked, “What’s wrong?” Then, he
saw a blush appear on her face, and in a weak, almost imperceptible voice, she
said, “Charlie, you might… be becoming a father.”

Charlie blinked, and it took him a moment to realize what she meant. His eyes lit
up, and in a flurry of excitement, he scooped Olivia up into his arms, his smile
impossible to hide.

“Ah!” The sudden weightlessness made her let out a small gasp, but she was swept
off her feet by him, rushing out of the office building. The employees, after a
brief silence, burst into teasing cheers. Embarrassed, she buried her head in his
chest, trying to block out the sounds.

Charlie ignored the crowd, quickly placing her into the car and fastening her
seatbelt before getting in himself and instructing the driver to head to the
hospital.

The car sped toward the city center’s Central Hospital, and after an expedited
checkup, they quickly received the result. five weeks pregnant.

In the excitement, Charlie didn’t even care that they were still in the hospital
and kissed her lips.

Luckily, such scenes were not uncommon in the maternity ward. Most people just
smiled and didn’t pay much attention until…

“Olivia?!”

In the midst of being kissed, Olivia was snapped back to reality by a familiar cry.
She quickly pushed him away and

scrambled backward.

Charlie, irritated by the interruption, turned to see who it was, his mood becoming
even more annoyed.

Jennifer, having abandoned the sick Joe, rushed toward Olivia and nearly pounced on
her. However, just before she reached her, Charlie stepped forward and blocked her,
causing Jennifer to almost trip over herself. As she was steadied, she looked up at
the sign overhead and suddenly realized, “Olivia, you’re pregnant?!”

Olivia nodded shyly.

Jennifer, with her usual boldness, pulled a red envelope from her bag and stuffed
it into Olivia’s hand. “Here, this is, for your future godchild!”

Olivia instinctively squeezed the envelope, shocked not only by its thickness but
also by how casually Jennifer could produce a red envelope. Jennifer noticed her
surprise and grinned. “My mom sent me to London to care for my brother, and I
thought, since I’m here, why not bring the envelope? You never know when it might
come in handy, and look, it’s already been put to use.”

Jennifer nonchalantly pushed Charlie aside and leaned into whisper in Olivia’s ear,
“I’ve taken over the family business after I returned. I’m not staying long this
time, but I wanted to find you. My brother’s been ill since his hospitalization and
keeps talking about you, so my mom sent him here. If you don’t want to see him, you
don’t have to–just pretend he’s not here.”

As Jennifer spoke, Olivia’s gaze drifted to the stairs, where Joe, dressed in a
patient gown and looking worn–out, was being helped by someone. He looked nothing
like the confident person he once was.

When he wasn’t with her, he constantly murmured her name, but now that he saw her
gaze, he hurriedly turned

away.

He had seen the sign as well, and his heart sank. It was clear–she was already
expecting a child with someone else.

Olivia had no desire to rekindle old memories. She merely glanced at him, ready to
look away, but Charlie, who had been pushed aside by Jennifer, stepped in front of
her, blocking her view.

He cleared his throat, looking awkward as he glanced around. Olivia smiled softly,
her hand reaching for his, pulling him to sit beside her.

In the past, Olivia had been unfortunate, wasting seven years of her life with Joe
only to leave in disappointment. But now, she was lucky.Chapter 20

She had a father who cared for her, friends who stood by her, a husband who loved
her, and soon… they would welcome a child into the world.

After chatting with Jennifer for a while, exhaustion hit, and Charlie firmly lifted
her in his arms and left the hospital. Soon, the news reached both families, and it
stirred up a wave of excitement.

Since this was the first grandchild and great–grandchild for both families, the
news spread like wildfire, and suddenly, Olivia felt like a fragile porcelain doll,
showered with care from everyone.

Being the center of attention was something she wasn’t accustomed to. She felt as
though, at the slightest command, even the elderly matriarch of the Williams family
might move into their home, ready to take care of her at all times.

Thankfully, Charlie took charge, sending everyone back to the old family homes,
easing the pressure on Olivia.

Eight months later, outside the operating room, both Olivia’s and Charlie’s parents
were anxiously waiting. Only Charlie, dressed in surgical scrubs, entered with her.

Not far away, Joe, who had been in hiding around the corner, also waited with
worry.

It was said that giving birth was like walking through the gates of death. While
medical advances had made it safer, there were still risks. Joe, who had spent over
eight months in the hospital without knowing much about her condition, now shared
the same anxiety as the others.

Then, a loud cry of a baby suddenly rang out from the operating room, and everyone
outside sighed in relief.

But when they still didn’t see her, anxiety crept back in.

Finally, after another quarter of an hour, the red light went out, and the door to
the operating room opened. The doctor removed his mask with a broad smile.
“Congratulations, both mother and daughter are safe. You’ve had a healthy, seven–
pound, eight–ounce baby girl.”

Soon, both Olivia and the baby were safely transferred to a hospital room. When
Charlie was wiping sweat from her forehead, she slowly woke up, and everyone
crowded around her.

“Where’s the baby?” she asked weakly, having just gone through childbirth. But as
soon as she asked, the others quickly brought the baby to her.

“Seven pounds, eight ounces of a chubby little girl. Look, she looks just like
you.” During the pregnancy, Charlie had attended a class specifically to learn how
to care for pregnant women and babies. Although most of the time these tasks were
handled by servants, Charlie felt it was important to be prepared in case he was
needed. So, at this moment, when he was holding the baby, he appeared quite adept.

Looking at their fair, plump daughter, Olivia reached out and curiously poked her
cheek. It was soft, and it made her heart melt into a puddle.

So magical. She had given birth to a child.

“Have you decided on a name for the baby?” she asked, trying to keep her composure.
However, several people shook their heads in unison.

Charlie’s eyes were filled with tenderness as he placed the baby by her head and
began explaining, “Since you’ve suffered so much to bring her into this world, I,
your parents, and my parents have all agreed that you should choose her name.”

Olivia thought for a moment, and then two words slipped from her lips. “Belle.
Let’s call her Belle.”

Outside, Joe watched the warm scene with a bittersweet feeling in his heart. The
name “Belle” lingered on his lips as he softly murmured, before he smiled faintly.

“The moon rises brightly, and the person is charming. Belle is delicate, and the
heart is quietly concerned.”

It was a beautiful name.

He gently turned the doorknob, placed the prepared gift inside the box, and slid it
through the gap in the door. He quietly closed the door behind him and turned to
leave.

A faint click of the door lock echoed, and Olivia, ever alert, noticed it. She
nudged Charlie to go check if someone had been there. Reluctantly, he got up,
placing another kiss near her lips and enjoying her reddened face before heading to
the door. As soon as he opened it, he saw the gift box on the floor.

His eyes darkened, and it was clear he guessed who it was from.

But instead of discarding the box, he picked it up and brought it to Olivia. “It
seems someone did come by earlier. They left this box and left.”

He opened the box to reveal a safety chain charm inside.

Her smile remained undiminished. “Take it.”

The past was the past, and she had long since let go of any lingering thoughts.